Living in the Moment
by Matty1
Summary: Leah finds her life turned upside down and is making the best of it. So she's just taking things day by day. Ken got some time off after his divorce and is trying to put things back in perspective. It's better than the summary I promise.
1. Chapter 1

"Damn girl is that a keg in your pants

"Damn girl is that a keg in your pants? Cuz I'd sure love to tap that ass!" Luke said smirking.

"That was a good one, Luke." She said.

"Think it will get me any?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope, not many girls have the same sense of humor as I do, sadly." She said.

He grinned. "Naw I guess not, you're one of a kind." He agreed.

"You ain't getting any from me either, kiddo." She said.

He shrugged. "I'll get you wasted enough one time." He said.

"You're my baby brother's best friend kid and that's just a line I ain't crossing." She said.

"Aw come on I grew up and am ready to show you how a real man acts." He said jokingly referencing what she used to teasingly say to him.

She studied him. "I'm just going to be used as a salve to your severely bruised ego." She said seriously.

"Nope, Jenny was a spring fling. You're the real deal, baby." He said.

She laughed again. "Dude stop hitting on my sister." Chase complained.

"Sorry bro, but she's smokin'!" He said.

Chase rolled his eyes.

"So not cool." He said sitting on the stool next to his friend.

"Here." She said handing them plates. They wolfed down their food. Leah looked pointedly at the clock.

"You guys got 10 minutes and neither of you are dressed." She said.

Chase jerked a shoulder. "Luke had plenty of time, he was just too busy drooling over you." He said.

"Shit." Luke muttered.

"Go on and get ready, I'll give you two a ride." She said.

They rushed up the stairs pushing and shoving each other. Leah sighed and started putting the dishes in the dishwasher. Five minutes later the boys came running down the stairs.

"Lee have you seen my math book?" Chase asked. She held it up.

"I could have sworn you told me you put it away where it belonged last night." She said. He grinned sheepishly and grabbed it from her.

"Come on I am not about to explain to Chuck why you two are late, again." She said. "So has he hit that yet?" Luke asked. He grunted in pain when Chase elbowed him in the gut.

"Dude, that's my sister and our dean you're talking about, shut the fuck up." Chase said. "Watch it kid." Leah warned glaring him. Chase shrugged apologetically as they climbed in Leah's truck.

"Hey Lee Imma spend the night at Leo's tonight to finish up that project." Chase said on the drive to school.

"Okay I'll call Leo's later and check up." She said.

He groaned. "Come on Leah, I'm 16 I don't need you checking up on my like I'm a little kid." He said.

"So sorry to mess with your rep kid but it's my job." She said as she pulled up in front of the building.

"Get lost." She said. The boys scrambled out and cockily swaggered inside.

Leah was exhausted but had a million things to do. Ever since her parents died last year she'd been in charge of her little brother and sister. The state had given her hell at first but she'd finally gotten custody. She'd only been 20 at the time and didn't even have a steady job but the judge had taken pity on her and allowed her a month to get her act together. She'd dropped out of school and gotten a job bartending. The owner had been a friend of her daddy's and was pretty lenient with her schedule. Things were going pretty good so she started going back to school to get her degree.

She thanked god that Jonnie spent the night at her friend Natalie's house so she didn't have to deal with her. She had just turned 18 and was being a royal bitch. Chase she could handle when he got in his moods. Jonnie was just unreasonable sometimes. Not that she blamed her she remembered what it was like to be 18, after all she was only 21. Besides their parents death had taken it's toll on all of them.

She pulled into the parking lot at the grocery store and sighed. She hated grocery shopping. It was right up there with helping Chase with a science project or trying to calm Jonnie down after her and Mitch broke up, yet again. She sucked it up because she's rather go by herself then listen to the kids bitch. As she wandered up and down the aisles she mentally made a list of what she had to do.

_Clean the house, take Murphy to the vet, run to the bank, call Leo's mom, start studying for that midterm, clean the pool, laundry._

She sighed and calculated if she could afford to put Chase on the insurance next month or not. Yeah this is exactly what a normal 21 year old would be worrying about at 8 am in the morning. Oh wait that's right normal 21 year olds weren't up at this time unless they had a class and then they were still hung over from partying the night before.

"Come on Murphy." Leah said to the stubborn dog.

"This isn't my fault you just had to hump and impregnate Mrs. Rutledge's dog. That is all on you and now my friend you are getting snipped." She said pulling on his leash. Somehow though the forty-pound dog was holding firm and not budging.

She sighed and picked him up and then dumped him on the ground. She looped the leash over her wrist and wrapped it around a few times. She glared at the dog and he seemed to glare right back.

"Stupid mutt, how I let Jonnie and Chase talk me into getting you is beyond me." She said reaching up to grab her purse.

"Austin!" a man shouted.

Murphy tried taking off but Leah held the leash to securely. Too bad she was off balance, the tug at the leash pulled her from the foot rail causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on the pavement.

"Stupid dog." She muttered trying to push herself up.

"Hey you might not want to move, you could get nauseous." A gruff voice said.

She braced her self on her elbows and squinted up at him.

"No offense but your hair is making my head hurt." She said. He laughed.

"Murphy." She said. The dog wandered over and licked her face.

"We are going to have a serious talk about not trying to kill me later." She mumbled and rubbed the dog's head.

"Well you might have a concussion, maybe I should take you to the hospital." The guys said worriedly.

She put her hand over her eyes to shade them. The guy was crouched over her. His brown eyes filled with worry. His platinum blonde hair was reflecting the already bright sun.

"Mr. …" She began.

"Ken." He said.

"Look, Ken. I'm fine. Even if I do have one there just going to tell me to take asprin and take it easy. This is nothing that ice, Advil, and sleep can't cure." She said.

He frowned at her. "You know you aren't supposed to sleep right away after hitting your head." He said.

She started getting up. He jumped to his feet and lifted her like she weighed nothing. "Thanks, now if you'll excuse me I gotta bring the mutt to get snipped." She said and pulled on Murphy's leash.

Ken winced. "Poor guy." He said.

"Well if he wasn't a regular Houdini I wouldn't do it but he just impregnated his third baby momma last month." She said.

Ken laughed. "So how much puppy support are you shelling out on his behalf?" He asked as they stepped in line.

"The first batch the owner wanted nothing to do with. She threw a bitch fit because he wasn't a purebred and soiled her precious Molly. So I took them basically right after Molly whelped. The last one I paid half and I have a feeling Mrs. Rutledge isn't too happy that her Roxie is knocked up so who knows." She said.

"Sit!" he ordered his wire haired terrier. The dog obeyed.

"So this is the culprit who made my innocent little Murphy try to book, huh?" she asked. Ken grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, he's not a big fan of the vet and he really isn't going to like it after today." He said.

"He up for the same thing as Murph here?" Leah asked.

"Yeah he sprays shit to mark his territory all the bets got called off when he decided he was literally going to claim my pillow." Ken said.

Leah smiled and bent down to pet the wiggling dog. "You're a cute little guy huh?" She cooed at him.

The dog placed his front paws on her knees and licked her. "Aw you give kisses. Did your daddy train you to do that to help him pick up girls?" She asked and looked up at Ken.

He blushed. "No but I wish I would have thought of it. That way I could have gotten your attention without giving you a concussion." He said.

"You hitting on me Ken?" she asked rocking back on her heels.

"Yeah, I am actually. It would go a whole lot smoother if I knew your name." He said. She stared up at him. "Leah." She said.

"Austin down." He said. The dog looked up at him unhappily but sat.

He held a hand out to her. She accepted it and let him pull her up. She was next and went up to the counter.

"Hi." The receptionist said.

"Murphy's here to get snipped." She said.

As if he sensed this was his one last chance he looked up at her and gave her his most soulful puppy dog look.

"Oh no mister, it's three strikes and your out, I can't afford to have you single pawedly boost up the puppy population." She said.

He whined. The receptionist smiled.

"If you'll just have a seat someone should be out for him shortly." She said.

"Alright, thanks." She said and pulled him over to a vacant chair.

He jumped up in her lap and curled up. She sighed and stroked his curly fur.

"Sorry Murph but it needs to be done. I ain't saying you can't have your fun but you just need to not knock up every thing you mount." She said.

"If you wanna get love you gotta have a glove." Ken said sitting next to her.

She laughed. "Now you sound like Luke." She said.

"Luke?" He asked.

"My little brother's friend. He has all these corny pick up lines and I let him test them out on me." She explained.

"He have any winners?" He asked.

"Not really but I'm guessing his looks get him by." She said.

"Oh he's one of those huh?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, he has the whole I'm hot and I know it plus I can make you laugh thing going on." She said. Ken laughed.

"I'm guessing you never had any problems getting a date either though." Leah said. "You guessed it I mean look at me." He said cockily.

Leah rolled her eyes at him. "I hated guys like you in high school." She said.

"No offense but you look like you are still in high school." He said.

"I wish but sadly no I am at the ripe old age of 21." She said.

"Honey you are still a baby." He said.

"What and you are all of 25, 26?" She said.

"You are great for my ego. But no I'm 32." He said.

"Why is that men age so damn nice but I'll probably look nasty when I hit thirty." She said.

"At 30 you'll probably look 21." He said.

"Flattery is nice but I prefer the truth." She said.

Ken shrugged. "Why lie it's too much effort and no one has ever accused me of sugar coating anything." Ken said.

A young girl came and took both dogs. "So wanna go grab some lunch?" He asked. "Sorry I'm busy." She said.

"I insist." He said. Leah studied him.

"Chivalry has been dead a long ass time so that's not why you're insisting to go it's because I'm going to guess you haven't been turned down in a long ass time and it bugs the shit out of you." She said.

"I am a nice guy but yeah you're right." He said.

"At least you're honest." She said.

"Told you I was." He said.

"Tell you what, if your free tonight I can hang for awhile." She said.

"For you yeah I can be free." He said.

She rolled her eyes at him and held out her hand. "Hand it over." She said.

"What?" he asked.

"Cell phone." She said. He dug in his hip pocket and pulled it out.

She flipped it open and grinned at him.

"Aw cute it's your puppy." She said as she was pushing buttons rapidly on his phone. She handed his phone back to him.

"Balls in your court, Ken." She said and left him standing there.

(So what do you think?)


	2. Chapter 2

Ken stood where she left him for a few minutes

Ken stood where she left him for a few minutes. He shook his head and smirked. He dug his keys out of his pocket and sauntered towards his brand new truck. He'd bought it the day his divorce was final. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. He lived on the outskirts of town by the river. He loved it and the privacy it afforded him. Most of his friends from work had big elaborate houses with gates and all kinds of security. He on the other hand didn't. His house was by no means small. It was tucked back in a wooded area. It was a rustic home that had a fully stocked pond and a pole barn. He had his weight room and a ring set up in it so he could train and mess around out there. There was supposed to an office area out there but he'd torn down the wall made the other half of the pole barn into a rec room type thing or as his buddies from school would call it, a man cave. In the back corner there was a small bedroom if people got too rowdy and needed a place to sleep it off and couldn't make it to the house. His house was just that he supposed, a house. It wasn't anything to fancy mostly wood and stone. The great room stuck out from the back of the house and the back wall was almost all glass that afforded him and his guests great views. The master suite was pretty kick ass in his opinion. It had a great view and was manly. It even had a big fireplace in it and a private bathroom. He walked in and went into the kitchen to make himself something to eat. He settled for a sandwich and plopped down onto his couch and turned on the tv. Like any typical male he had the biggest flat screen high definition TV he could get. It had taken him awhile to figure it all out but he'd gotten all his systems down to one remote. He turned the tv on to the ball game. It was The Brewers taking on the Twins. Even though he had been born in Minneapolis he was a Wisconsin fan all the way.

He supposed he should be kind of lonely way out here by himself but he was pretty content. He had went to Vince finally and asked for some time off and surprisingly enough all he had to do to get it was agree to return to SmackDown and become one of their main contenders. He had no problem with that. In all honesty it gave him a little less of a hectic lifestyle for a while. Most of the guys saw it as a downgrade or punishment he saw it as an opportunity to get better and more of the limelight. RAW right now was all about John, Randy, and now Dave. He really hadn't gotten any airtime with any of them except Randy for a brief period of time. On SmackDown he had to contend with Edge and Paul and that was about it. Besides they were trying to up the ratings and get everyone going so new and unexpected things were going to be done. Shit they were talking about making him face, but if the fans would go for that he'd be surprised. His character was cocky, loud, and opinionated. How could they make him a face with those characteristics? He mentally shrugged and focused on the game.

He got up awhile later and put his plate in the sink and stretched. He noticed his phone blinking and picked it up to see who had called. Randy's number showed up and he smirked. Since he had left Randy, John, and Cody took turns calling him and seeing what was up. Whenever they were in the area they stopped by and hung out. It was a nice gesture and all but seeing as he was older than all three of them and they were trying to take care of him it was kind of tiring. He threw his phone back on the counter and then picked it back up and scrolled through his contact list. He stopped and started texting the person.

He shook his head and smirked at the thought of her. He wasn't used to women turning him down actually he was used to women falling all over themselves to get his attention. He really wasn't that cocky but after having it happen for a few years one gets used to it. He wasn't that bad looking of a guy and he kept himself in shape. Yeah his hair was a little much but normally before he started dying it for his career it was blonde anyways. Leah on the other hand wasn't all over him and actually kind of ignored him until he struck up a conversation with her. She seemed nice enough, a little standoffish but not snotty or anything. She reminded him of the proverbial girl next door. Her long brown hair had been thrown up in some kind of clip and she was wearing a pair of jeans and a t shirt that had seen better years and a scuffed up pair of shoes. Most women he knew and was around on a regular basis were usually all dressed up. Not that the divas were all like they were portrayed to be. He'd seen them all in various states of dressed and undressed. Since he had been in a serious relationship when he'd came into the WWE he'd been labeled as safe. So they ran around in their underwear around him if he popped in their locker room to find someone or ask a question. He couldn't count the number of times one of them had asked him to unfastened or fasten them in the shit they wore. But for some reason he knew that Leah would never label him safe and that was part of her appeal to him, to hell if he could figure out why.

Leah got in her truck and head towards the bank. She deposited her check and left. As she got in the truck her phone started ringing. She groaned when she saw the school's number come up. Crossing her fingers she prayed on of the kids just forgot something or was sick.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hi, is this Leah Ashmore?" The man asked.

"You know it is Chuck." She said.

"Hi, Leah, we have Jonnie down here in my office. Seems I'm going to have to suspend her for the remainder of the week." He said.

"Oh come on Chuck it's Tuesday, have a heart." She said.

"Sorry school policy." He said.

"What'd she do?" She asked turning around to head towards the school instead of home where much needed sleep was waiting.

"It seems Jonnie and Jessica got in a little physical altercation and broke the display case in the art wing." He said.

"Please, please, please tell me it had nothing to do with Mitch." She begged.

"Actually for his efforts of trying to break up the fight he got a bloody nose." He said. "Why did they start fighting?" She asked.

"Neither will say, and no one knows who started it." Chuck said.

"I'll be down there in 15." She said and hung up.

She mentally told herself that Jonnie was an innocent bystander and Jessica just had it out for her as she had since the ninth grade. Then she bit her lip against the laughter that threatened to bubble up. Jonnie wasn't by any means innocent she gave as good as she got if not better. But the girl did not know how to keep her mouth shut.

She pulled into the school parking lot and parked. She got out and walked toward the dreaded halls of Two Rivers High. She had had very mixed feelings about this place when she attended and had grown to hate more and more with each passing year. Between Jonnie and Chase she was here at least once every two weeks. She walked in and headed towards the main office.

"Hi Terri, I'm guessing Chuck is in his office." She said.

"Yeah he said for you to go right on in." The young receptionist said.

"I think I come here more now than I did when we were in school." Leah groaned. "Between you and me that Jessica is a replica of her sister, Michelle and we both know how bad Michelle was." Terri said conspiratorially.

She groaned and walked back towards the gleaming gray door. She opened it and saw Jonnie, Jessica, Mitch, and Chuck look up at her.

"Okay since only one of you is legally my problem get lost." She said.

Jessica glared up at her and flounced off. "You stay in the office. You are in enough trouble as it is." Chuck called after her.

"See you later?" Mitch said.

"Yeah." Jonnie said.

"That's what you think." Leah said flopping down in a chair next to her sister.

"I'm 18 you can't tell me what to do." Jonnie said defiantly.

"Don't start now." She warned her.

Jonnie rolled her eyes and stared pointedly at the wall.

"I'll make you a deal figure out what the hell happened and she serves ISS starting tomorrow." Chuck said.

"Talk kid, I don't want to be stuck with your whiny self all week." Leah said looking at her sister.

She rolled her eyes. "So she can call me a rat as well as everything else?" Jonnie spat. "I'll give her the same deal and I guarantee she'll take it." Chuck said.

"She's been a major bitch since Mitch and I started dating. She wants him or one of his friends, problem is she already spread 'em for all of Mitch's friends and he doesn't want anything to do with her." Jonnie said. "Okay so that cause you to start throwing punches today?" Leah asked.

"No before class she was talking to her friends and was saying that I'm a stuck up prude who wouldn't know how to please a man if my life depended on it. Then she turned to me and smirked and "accidentally" pushed her locker open so it hit me in the face." Jonnie said.

Leah sighed. "Who threw the first punch?" She asked.

"Me Jessica slaps like a little bitch." She said.

"Watch your mouth." Chuck said.

Jonnie rolled her eyes. "So who hit whom first after the locker?" Leah asked.

"She did. I called her a stupid whore and she slapped me so I hit her back, self defense." Jonnie said.

"Well since it is in the locker area I can look at the video tapes. Are you sure that's how it went down?" Chuck asked.

"I'm already in trouble why lie?" Jonnie asked.

"Okay, as of right now you are suspended for the day and will be serving ISS the remainder of the week." Chuck said.

"But it was self defense Chuck." Leah said jumping to her sister's defense.

"I said as of right now. If her story is true today will count as a cooling off period and she'll have detention the rest of the week. By the way who broke the art display case?" He asked.

"She hit Mitch and he stumbled into it, it wasn't intentional." Jonnie said.

"Okay I'll look into that also." He said.

"We done?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, I'll call later." He said.

"Sounds good." She said and got up.

"Let's go Jonnie, you get to pick Murphy up later." She said.

"You actually went through with it huh?" She asked as they left.

"Yeah I can't afford to support his puppies anymore, he can go get him some but he can't leave the bitch knocked up no more." She said. They both started laughing.

"Can I drive?" she asked.

"You know no one drives my baby, where is you car anyways?" Leah asked.

"I left it at home it's in the garage. Chase and Luke were playing basketball and I didn't want them hitting my car." She said.


	3. Chapter 3

Leah's phone started to ring.

"Grab that for me will you?" She said.

Jonnie dug in her purse and pulled out her phone. She flipped it open.

_So what do you want to do tonight_? "Who's this?" Jonnie asked.

Leah grabbed her phone. _I don't care I'm not too picky _She responded back.

"Just a guy I met at the vet. His dog ran by making Murphy try to bolt after him and stupid ass dog made me fall and crack my head. I came to to him crouching over me talking about concussions." She said.

Her phone went off again as she pulled into the driveway.

"Is he hot?" Jonnie asked.

"Yeah I guess." She said smirking.

"You hoe, Luke's going to be devastated you're cheating on him." She said giggling.

Leah loved when her sister was like this. She shouldn't be all broody and sulky, she should be happy and care free.

"It's not like we're dating or anything he feels bad about today and he's pissed I wouldn't go to lunch with him earlier, this is just a ego balm date." She said as she looked at the text.

_How about a few drinks _

_Sure on one condition we don't go to Tippy's _

"So am I grounded or whatever?" Jonnie asked.

"If your story pans out you are grounded till Friday and your on dish duty for the next week if not you're looking at two weeks hard time. Meaning laundry, dish duty, dog duty, no phone, no car, no laptop. Deal?" She said.

Jonnie sighed.

"Deal but I'll be going out Friday night." She said grinning.

"So what's this guys name?" Jonnie asked.

"Ken." Leah responded flipping open her phone.

_No Tippy's you got anything against Ringo's _

"So what's he look like?" Jonnie asked digging in the fridge.

Leah shrugged. _Nope Ringo's it is _

"Um he's about 6'1''ish. Brown eyes, platinum blond hair, he's built." She said.

"So is he a pretty boy or rugged?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say rugged but he definitely ain't a pretty boy he's too manly for that." She said.

Jonnie held up a carton of yogurt. "Want one?" she asked.

"Sure." Leah responded.

_Alright I'll pick you up around 7_

She flopped on the couch next to her older sister and handed her the yogurt. "Thanks." She said.

She grabbed the phone from her sister and started reading the texts.

"Hey there could be private stuff on there." Leah protested.

Jonnie rolled her eyes and handed the phone back.

"He seems nice enough." She said.

Leah shrugged. "He is in a weird way." She said.

_I'll just meet you there _

"So he's taking you out for drinks huh? He just wants to get in your pants. You should let him get in them jeans, sex will loosen you up some." She said.

Leah narrowed her eyes at her younger sister.

"And how would you know? You claim to be untouched." She said.

Jonnie rolled her eyes.

"I am thank you very much. Not that it is any of your business but you know I would come talk to you about it. I mean I'd need to get on birth control and all." She said. "Yeah, not that I care I just want you to be responsible and safe about it." She said. "Good cuz I thought you were going to try and give me the talk or something." Jonnie said.

"Nope you got that one a week after your fifteenth birthday same as me." Leah said. "Yeah we'll I bet Dad didn't join in on yours." She said.

"He was there the whole time for mine at least for yours he left half way through." She told her younger sister.

"Oh damn that must have sucked." She said laughing.

"It did made me never want to kiss Dan again after that talk. Not because I didn't like him or anything just because Dad wanted me to be able to feel that I could go to him as well as Mom and would be upset if I didn't talk to him about my first time." She said. Her younger sister burst out laughing. _Alright see you there _

"So if you decide to release the tension you ain't gonna bring him back here are you? Cuz seriously I'm stuck here and I don't want to test how thick the walls are or know if you're a screamer." She said.

"Jonnie Marie Ashmore!" she shrieked and threw a pillow at her.

Jonnie just grinned and ducked the other pillows her sister launched at her. Then they both started giggling. Leah yawned.

"You worked at Tippy's last night didn't you?" Jonnie asked.

"Yeah closed it by my self Andy called in. Did the book keeping too so I wouldn't have to go in any days this week." Leah said around a yawn.

"Go to bed loser, you don't want to fall asleep on your date tonight." Jonnie said pulling her sister up.

"Clean up a bit huh? And stay here." She said.

Jonnie rolled her eyes.

"What ever skank, good night." She said.

"Whore." Leah said and crawled into bed.

"Don't forget about Murphy and wake me up by 5 okay?" she said.

"Yeah yeah yeah chill Mom." Jonnie said.

"Crap I gotta call Leo's mom." Leah groaned.

"Chill he really is going there to finish that project for tomorrow. I helped him do some stuff for it a few nights ago. You can trust Chase you know, he's too good of a kid and knows he's a horseshit liar." Jonnie said.

"You feelin okay kid? Since when did you start sticking up for Chase?" She asked.

She shrugged

"I don't stick up for him I just know what it is like having you ride my ass. Not a fun feeling." She said pretending to shudder.

Leah rolled her eyes at her younger sister.

"Get lost brat." She said.

"Whatever dork." Jonnie said and shut the door behind her.

Leah fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Ken tossed his phone on the coffee table and slumped back on the couch. Leah had subtly refused to let him pick her up. Not that he blamed her too much, he was just some guy she had met earlier today but he wasn't psycho or anything. He was just being a gentleman. He shrugged and settled back on the couch to think. She seemed normal enough but then again there was something really different about her and damn him if it didn't intrigue him. Not that it took much to catch his interest lately. After his divorce he thought he'd be bitter or at the very least stay out of the loop for awhile but he jumped right back in. He didn't date or anything he just had his fun like all the other young single guys he worked with. Shawn had fucked him up as John would say. She had been his high school sweetheart and he'd honestly thought they would be together for the rest of their lives. Apparently though she couldn't handle being alone all the time but seriously it wasn't a new thing. He'd been on the road steadily for awhile and she seemed fine with it. Come to find out she wasn't and was insecure about him being faithful to her out on the road. He had been, he might have looked but he'd never done anything more. He had loved her and knowing he could go home to her had been more than enough for him. Well and the times he had talked her into phone sex helped too, he thought with a smirk.

He was very attentive to her. He called her every day at least once, and texted her. When he was home he did his best to just spend time with her and put his career on the back burner for the time he was home. Yeah, he had felt bad about leaving her but he would send her flowers or buy her a cute little trinket or something like that. He even put up with the guys giving him shit for it because to him it was worth it. Not to her though, he thought bitterly. He shook his head. He needed to stop dwelling on it. It was over. Marriage had been a mistake and they'd corrected it.

He sighed and tried to focus on the game but he'd lost interest in it while he'd been texting Leah and now after dwelling on his past he was in no mood to get back into it. He sighed. He wanted to nap today and just relax. Now he was full of edgy restless energy. He got up and turned the tv off and headed out to the pole barn to work it all out of his system. People had started noticing him bulking up and there were some whispers about steroids and he offered to be tested at any given time. He'd already been down that road and learned his lesson from it. He loved his career and wasn't about to give it up to bulk up a bit. Lately though he'd been hitting the gym and hard to stop thinking about everything and it was paying off he'd put on 30 pounds of muscle and was in better shape then he ever had been in. He had John to thank for that though. Right after everything had went down he didn't want to talk about it he was a guy for Christ's sake he just wanted it to go away. John dragged him to the gym a few times and showed him his regiment and he had taken to it. After that they just started training together and John gave him pointers on bulking up the right way. He plugged his iPOD in started warming up. Because of the mood he was in he just wanted to let all his frustration and anger out he went straight to the punching bag. The last few months it had taken quite a beating. The slight jarring that traveled up his arms were ignored and he continued to slam his fists into it methodically

So what do you guys think so far? Don't forget to review.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry I haen't upated forever but my dad decieded he was going to take the laptop out of town with him. Thanks to Kaz for bugging me enough to put this up.

"Lee, rise and shine

"Lee, rise and shine." Jonnie yelled jumping on her bed.

Leah groaned and stretched.

"Jonnie you are 18 years old, do you really need to wake me up by jumping on my bed like a toddler on Christmas morning?" She asked slowly opening her eyes.

Jonnie grinned. "Yeah." She said.

Leah laughed. "Brat." She said good naturedly as she got out of bed.

"Where's Murph?" Leah asked.

"They want to keep him over night for observation." Jonnie said.

"Aww poor guy." Leah said and stood up.

"I have to take a quick shower find something for me to wear." She said.

Jonnie rolled her eyes at her older sister and got up to search through her closet. Leah came out awhile later and stared at what her sister had laid out on the bed.

"Those aren't my jeans." She said.

"They're mine." She said simply.

"And I'm not wearing the cleavage shirt." She whined.

"Yes you are it's cute." Jonnie said.

"He's going to think I'm easy or some shit." She said.

Jonnie laughed. "Just get dressed." She said.

Leah sighed and shooed her sister out of the room and got dressed. She went back into the bathroom and put some product in her hair to tame the frizz and let it air dry. She had time and hated the blow dryer it always made her hair look like she'd rubbed a balloon over it. She then wandered downstairs and headed towards the kitchen. She raided the fridge and dumped what was left of the salad in a bag in a bowl and the rest of Chase's Jimmy John's sub from the night before. She then wandered into the living room and settled on the couch.

"What are you doing?" Jonnie demanded.

Leah calmly chewed. "Eating." She said and took another bite.

"We need to do your hair and makeup." Jonnie said.

"I'm not wearing makeup and even if I do you are not doing it." She whined.

Jonnie rolled her eyes at her older sister.

"Stop acting like a baby. You're wearing makeup and doing your hair. You are going to look like a girl." She said stomping her foot.

"Fine. But aren't I supposed to use you as my doll not the other way around." Leah asked.

"Well if you didn't act like such a boy then you would be able to but since you do it's my mission in life to make sure not everyone thinks that you are a lesbian. I gotta rep to protect." She said and giggled.

Leah rolled her eyes at her younger sister.

"Seriously, girl. I taught your boyfriend's older brother how to get past second base in sophomore year." She said.

"No you didn't. Robbie… ew that's just gross. Well he knocked Ashley Simons up the next year so he was a quick learner or you were a really good teacher." She said and shuddered.

Leah laughed. "Now that I don't want to think about." She said.

"Hurry up and finish and if you spill on yourself I will hurt you." Jonnie said.

"At least I wouldn't have to wear the cleavage shirt." Leah mumbled.

"It looks good on you." She said.

Leah rolled her eyes and got up to follow her sister to the bathroom.

"Can't we just let my hair air dry the blow dryer hates me?" She whined.

"I know but I still wanna get some product in it now, while it's still damp. Then we'll do your makeup and by the time were done with that and shoes we can curl your hair and send you on your way." She said happily.

Leah stopped dead in her tracks.

"Shoes?" She said.

"You aren't wearing your damn Tines." Jonnie said.

"Or you flip flops. God I swear Chase is more feminine that you sometimes." She said. Leah rolled her eyes. "What ever princess." She said as she followed her sister down the hall.

Jonnie dragged her sister into her room and dug through her closet. She held up a pair of stripy sandals.

"I'd make you wear a heel but we want you to be able to walk normally." Jonnie said. "You act like I'm a total guy." Leah said.

"Yeah, yeah, you're comfortable." She said.

"Well it is why wear shit that I have to always adjust or not be comfortable in." she whined.

About forty-five minutes later the two girls emerged from the bathroom and walked downstairs.

"My little girl is all grown up." Jonnie said and wiped an imaginary tear away.

"I'll see you later and I better not pass Mitch on the way home." She said.

"One damn time." Jonnie grumbled. Leah smiled and grabbed her keys and purse and left.

She parked in an empty space and sat there. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. What the hell am I doing? She asked herself. It's not like I'm a normal college kid going for drinks and then a nightcap and that's what he probably expects. She scolded herself and dropped her forehead to the top of the wheel.

"Shit what did I get myself into?" she muttered.

Her head snapped up at the sound of a light rapping on her window. She looked and saw Ken standing there with an amused expression on his face. She quickly got out.

"Taking a nap?" He asked.

She blushed. "Um no just um…" she trailed off lamely.

"Having second thoughts?" Ken said.

"Kind of, I mean it's just a few drinks… ignore me I'm just being stupid." She said.

He laughed.

"Come on I won't bite unless you want me to." He said and winked at her.

She laughed.

"Get a few drinks in me and you'd be surprised." She said and walked in ahead of him. He stood where he was for a second and grinned. He then quickly followed her. They sat at the bar.

"What'll it be?" The bartender asked.

"Bud…" he said and looked at Leah.

"Miller Light." She said.

The bartender brought them back and Ken paid.

"So tell me about yourself." He said taking a sip of beer. She shrugged.

"I'm 21, I'm in school majoring in design arts. I live here in Two Rivers have my whole life. Just your normal 21 year old." She said.

She wasn't exactly lying to him just omitting parts of the truth. Damn it she wanted to act like a normal college kid for once.

"Come on that's a generic response." Ken said.

She laughed. "Well what do you want to know?" she asked.

"I don't know… who you are I guess. What do you do for fun? Music, movies. You know that first date shit." He said.

"Oh so this is a date now?" She asked raising her brows at him.

"Well yeah I don't make a habit of bringing random girls I flirt with out for drinks unless it's a date type thing." He said.

She laughed at him.

"Alright first date it is." She said.

"Alright now spill." He said.

"I work too much sometimes, I'm at the library enough to have my own little desk on the third floor in the back corner. I'm a little bit of a guys' girl and like it like that. Usually you can tell by my truck that I am a country girl but I just recently washed it. I go to UWGB; I'm a junior there. I'm a sorority girl, Zeta Omega Tau. Um I'm teaching myself to play the guitar in my spare time not going as well as I would have liked. I listen to country and classic rock mostly but am game for anything. I'm a sucker for Jim Carey and Adam Sandler movies and action movies I guess. What about you?" She said. He smirked. "I'm 32. I work way too much also but I love my job. I live here in Two Rivers also. I lived in Green Bay for a while before coming back here. I hang out with the boys. I'm a sports fanatic, hometown preference. I listen to a lot of 80's rock and rock in general but I guess I can tolerate most anything. I like action movies or comedies. Hell I'll even watch a chick flick here or there if I get something out of it." He said and wiggled his eyebrows.

She playfully slapped his arm. "Typical male." She said.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Leah. I was talking about getting to watch one of the movies I liked or maybe a backrub." He said.

They ordered another round.

"Hmm, any siblings?" He asked.

"Younger brother Chase and a younger sister, Jonnie. You?" She asked.

"Younger sister, Jennifer." He said.

"So you said you go to UWGB, that's like an hour drive from here." He said.

"Yeah it is." She said.

"Is there a break or something?" he asked.

"No." she said.

"So you drive it?" He asked.

"Yes I do, Tuesdays and Thursdays." She said.

"That has to be a killer with gas and traffic." He said.

She shrugged. "It is but it is something I have to do for awhile." She said.

"I'm going to guess this is an off limits topic." He said.

She shrugged. "I have to help out at home, I'm looking into transferring." She said.

"So where do you work?" He asked hoping a change of topic would lighten the tension. "I work at Tippy's as a bartender/waitress and do the book keeping." She said.

"Full time student and from what it sounds like full time job that has to take some serious motivation." He said.

She smiled. "It's not so bad my boss is really understanding with my schedule and my professors are great." She said.

Ken nodded understandingly.

"Yeah my boss can be okay too but he can also ride all our asses pretty hard to." Ken said.

"So what do you do?" She asked.

Ken glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I ah I… I'm an athlete." He said.

"Oh really you said you are a hometown boy, I follow the Brewers and Packers pretty close and you don't seem so familiar." She said.

He chuckled. "And they say our demographic is young adults 18 to 25." He said to himself.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm not a baseball or football player." He said.

"Now who's being mysterious?" She said.

"Isn't that supposed to add to the sex appeal? I mean I'm already oozing it out because of my looks but add mystery and damn I'm irresistible." He said.

She started laughing. "You're ego needs to be deflated a little." She said.

"No ones been able to do it so far." He said.

"Well Ken you just met me." She said and winked at him.

"So design art?" he asked.

"I manipulate photos, video, and sound on the computer and make it into some real cool stuff." She said.

"Sounds fun why'd you choose it?" he asked.

"I'm good at it and I like it." She said. "And it's a growing field with an above average salary." She added.

"Well that doesn't sound like so much fun." He said.

"It is I just can be a little to grown up sometimes." She said.

"Yeah that's no fun." He said.

"Well you're 32 aren't you considered a grown up now?" she asked.

"Nope." He said and smiled.

"I'm too boyishly handsome for that." He said.

"Yeah and I'm Pamela Anderson." She said.

"Ouch! You saying I ain't good looking?" he asked.

"I never said that you're too rugged to be boyish." She said and blushed.

"I knew I liked you for a reason." He said.

She rolled her eyes at him as she took a sip of her beer. "You play pool?" She asked. "Yeah want me to teach you how to shoot a combo?" He asked.

"I think I could probably teach you a few things." She said.

"Oh you're on baby." He said.

He followed her to the pool table and admired the way she moved.

"I hang out with the boys enough to know when one's staring at my ass." She said.

He grinned. "I have a single track mind I see something I like I appreciate." He said. "You could be a little more subtle, ya know." She said.

"Like you have been? I'll work on it." He said.

She blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said.

"Don't worry about it, I know I fill my jeans out well enough and no I don't wear a size too small shirt, I'm just that damn built." He said.

"Now you are just imagining things." She said.

He popped a few quarters in the table and racked the balls up.

"I'll give you a handicap, hell you can even play slops." He offered.

"Okay what's my handicap?" she asked.

He broke and picked up the chalk. As he dusted the tip of the cue with the fine blue powder he looked at her.

"I'll give you three do overs." He said.

"Okay." She said as she leaned over and lined up her shot.

She sunk the three and five ball. She turned and grinned at him. He shook his head at her. She lined up another shot and sunk the 7 ball in. She went to line up another shot and as soon as she was about to shoot he poked her in the ribs.

"Cheater!" She said accusingly.

"I like to win." He said simply and lined up his shot.

She shook her head. "I'll take my do over now." She said.

"Too late I already started." He said.

After a few games they settled at a near by table and started talking more.

"So you have a tattoo?" She asked gesturing towards his arm.

He nodded and pushed his sleeve up his arm to reveal a clown.

"It's um kind of scary." She said.

He shrugged.

"Yeah it was supposed to be more funny than scary. But they messed it up, I want to get it replaced." He said.

"How about you any tattoos or piercings?" He asked. She smiled.

"Two tattoos and 6 peircings." She said.

"And here I thought you were a good little girl." He said.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"I have my ears double pierced, and one cartilage piercing and my tongue pierced." She said. His brows rose at that.

"Rebellion and stupidity mixed together with a lot of stubbornness. My parents hated it and told me I'd take it out in a year, it's going on 4 years." She said.

"Tattoos?" he asked.

"A butterfly design on my back and a cross on my hip." She said.

"What about you any other tattoos or peircings?" She asked.

"One other tattoo on my back, just a red and black design." He said.

"So why do you dye your hair platinum blonde?" She asked.

"For work to make me stand out a little more." He said.

She reached up and ran her fingers through it.

"Wow it's really soft, wasn't expecting that." She said.

He reached out and played with her loose curls.

"So's yours." He said.

She forgot about responsibilities, schedules, and her siblings and leaned in and kissed him. His hand lifted up and cupped her cheek, his thumb stroked softly. She pulled back and licked her lips.

"I'm not going to lie and say I don't do this but it isn't a regular thing, wanna come back to my place?" He asked.

She studied his face. "Sure." She said.

He got up and dug for his wallet. He dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table and grabbed her hand.

"I'll um follow you there." She said as they walked out.

He nodded and pulled he closer and gently kissed her. He reached behind her and opened the door. She got in and waited for him to get to his car. They pulled out and headed to his house. On the short drive there she started berating herself.

"You aren't a care free kid Leah Nicole Ashmore." She muttered to herself.

"Oh god I'm turning into my mother I just used my full name on myself." She said. "Everything will be fine, I don't have to do anything with him. I can leave anytime I want." She said.

"Yeah like that's what I want or him for that matter." She said sarcastically to herself. She pulled up behind him and shut off her truck. She stepped out and followed him up the steps. He unlocked the door and stepped aside so she could enter. He walked in behind her and rubbed the back of his neck. Why do I suddenly feel like a kid on prom night? He thought to himself.

"You want something to drink?" He asked as he led her into the great room.

"Uh sure." She said. He went to the fridge and pulled it open.

"Um I got pop, beer, Gatorade, water, milk, and I think lemonade." He said.

"Whatever you're having." She said. He pulled out two beers and walked back to her. "You trying to get me drunk, Ken?" she asked.

He smirked.

"Maybe." He said.

"Is it working?" he asked.

"It takes more than a few beers, I go to Green Bay, remember." She said.

He laughed. "That's true." He said.

"You want a tour or something?" He asked.

"Is that a way of getting me to your bedroom?" He asked. He laughed.

"Yeah I guess I was going to end it there." He said.

"Alright." She said. He led her around the main floor.

"Not much down here, kitchen, great room, dining room, bathroom." He said.

He led her downstairs.

"Living room, bedroom, bathroom, laundry room don't look in there it's horrible I've been putting that off." He said quickly closing the door.

"Believe me mine's probably worse." She said.

He pulled her to him then and kissed her. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He rested his hands gently on her hips. She stood on her toes and leaned into him. He easily supported her by putting an arm around her waist. She pulled back and looked up at him.

"You gonna finish the tour?" she asked quietly.

He nodded quickly.

"Yeah." He said and took her hand in his and led her up the stairs.

They stopped once they reached the main floor and he gently backed her up against a wall. He leaned down and kissed her again. He let his fingers graze her skin just under the hem of her shirt. She shyly trailed her fingers up into his hair. She stood on her toes and arched into him. He urged her closer still. He reached down and hooked his arms under her thighs and guided her legs around his waist.

"Hold on tight." He murmured against her lips and began the ascent up the stairs.

"Wait I can walk." She said.

"I like you where you are." He said and kissed her again.

Once they reached the top he headed towards his room.

"And this is my room." He said as he walked through the door.

She glanced around quickly.

"Great view." She said staring out the bay window.

"I promise it's better from the bed." He said.

She smiled at him. "Show me." She said flirtatiously.

He walked to the bed and laid them both down. Ken stared down at her and then kissed her slowly. His fingertips slowly inched their way under her shirt to stroke her skin. She slowly pulled his shirt up and let her hands explore his back and then around to the front to shyly start unbuttoning it. Ken grinned against her lips and then nudged her chin up so he could kiss his way down her throat. He pushed at her shirt and looked at her. "Okay?" He asked.

She nodded and sat up a little. He pulled her shirt over her head and gazed down at her. "Wow." He said.

She smiled thanking god that she let Jonnie pick out her outfit down to her underwear. He pushed both straps down and dropped kisses at random on her shoulders and collarbone. She ran her fingers through his hair and tugged lightly. He nipped lightly at her skin. She shivered when his hands trailed up and down her sides. He reached around and unhooked her bra. Before he could so much as pull her bra all the way off her phone rang. She lightly pushed at his shoulders.

"I should really get this." She said.

He rolled off her and suppressed a groan. His pants were extremely uncomfortable in the front and his chest was heaving. He wiped a hand over his face and rolled his eyes at the sheen of sweat he felt. Now I really am acting like a kid on prom night he thought to himself. She sat up dug in her pocket for her phone.

"Hello." She said a little breathlessly.

"Hi, Leah? This is Carol, Leo's mom." The voice over the phone said.

Suddenly reality reared its ugly head and snapped her back into the real world.

"Hi, Carol, is there a problem?" She asked.

"Actually there is. I just got a call from Luke's mother, the boys have been in an accident." She said.

Leah couldn't take a breath.

"Is… are they okay?" She asked.

Ken sat up upon hearing her voice. She sounded like she was about to cry.

"I'm not sure they're going to the hospital right now." She said.

"Aurora?" She asked.

"Yes." Carol said.

"I'll be right there thanks for calling." She said and hung up.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to block the images of her parents' accident from her mind. It wasn't working at all. Shattered glass covered the cold black pavement, bits and pieces of metal and plastic were scattered in all directions. Men rushed around shouting and quietly talking. Paramedics stood by waiting for her parents to be cut from the car. Jonnie and Chase sat quietly in the back of an ambulance. The weather was a nasty mix of sleet and snow. They said that was the main cause of the accident, slippery roads and a patch of black ice. The guardrail running along the side of the road was peppered with black scraps and one long dashed maroon line ending abruptly about 20 feet from her parents crumpled car. She snapped out of it when she felt her shirt being tugged over her head.

"I um I have to go." She said suddenly standing up.

"I figured, come on I'll give you a ride." He said.

"It's fine, I can drive myself." She said.

"Look I know I don't know you that well but I do know when the rugs been yanked out from underneath someone. You're pale and shaking, besides you didn't answer me for a few minutes." He said buttoning up his shirt.

"Come on Leah, let's go." He said quietly.

She followed him down the stairs and out to his truck. She dialed Jonnie's number.

"Just let it happen, Lee." Jonnie said.

"Chase got in an accident." She said.

"What?" Jonnie asked.

"I'm on my way to Aurora Medical. Luke, Leo, and Chase got in an accident." She said. "Oh shit, is he okay? I'll be right there." She said and hung up.

"Chase? That's your brother right?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, my baby brother." She said.

At a loss for what to do Ken reached over and squeezed her hand.

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	5. Chapter 5

Ken pulled up at the front doors of the hospital and got out

Ken pulled up at the front doors of the hospital and got out. Handing his keys to the valet service he accepted the ticket and led Leah into the doors. He never understood why they had valet services at hospitals, like it was a place people wanted to be but then again if you were at a hospital usually it wasn't under circumstances in which you wanted to park a car and waste the time in doing so. They walked down towards the ER. She rushed up towards the desk.

"Um my brother's here, he was in an accident. His name is Chase Ashmore." She said. "He's in back right now, a doctor will be out shortly to talk to you." The receptionist said. She walked back towards the waiting area. She paced back and forth in front of Ken. "Sit down." He said and pushed her down into a chair.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair; he would just wait there until someone came here. Then he would slip out and call or text her later and make sure she was all right. She jumped up when two women came rushing in.

See this is what happens when you try to ignore your real life, if you would have called Leo's mom earlier and then Luke later on you would have known what was going on, she thought to herself as she rushed up to Luke's and Leo's moms. Being from a small town they knew about her parents.

"Aw honey, it'll be fine." They said.

"I thought they were working on a science project." She said.

"They were they were going to the store to get something for it." Diane, Luke's mom said.

A doctor came out and the three women walked to meet him. There was a lot of nodding and tears but eventually they followed him back. Ken sighed. This was not how he pictured his night at all. A young girl came running in and looked around. After going up to the desk she came and sat a few feet from him. She had more than a passing resemblance to Leah. Ken figured it must be her sister. Now what the hell was her name?

"You Leah's sister?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said.

"She just went back with the doctor." He said.

"You must be Ken." She said.

"Yeah." He said and stood up. Well her sister could sure pick 'em.

"So I'm going to head out tell her I'll call her or she can call me if she wants to." He said. Jonnie nodded as Ken left. Leah came out a few minutes later. Jonnie saw her and quickly got up and went to her.

"Is he okay?" she asked, she could tell Leah had been crying.

"Yeah, he's got a concussion and broken arm." She said.

Jonnie let out a breath she'd been holding.

"I'm going to kill him." She said.

"Why?" Leah asked.

"He made me all worried for nothing. I hope you don't let him drive after this." She said. Leah smiled at her younger sister.

"Aww you really do care about Chase." She said.

"I have to its like a genetic disorder or something I was born with." She said.

"Yeah then it went into full blown effect after he was born. I always said you were a weird kid." Leah said adding a watery laugh.

"So can we go see him?" Jonnie asked.

"Yeah." She said and glanced around.

"He just left, he said to call him." Jonnie said.

"I will when things calm down a little." She said.

"Ya know he's really hot." She said. Leah rolled her eyes.

"Come on. Let's go check on your brother and then yell at him." She said.

"My pleasure, then we talk about the major hottie that just left." She said.

Leah jabbed her sister in the ribs. "Shut up, you perv." She said and laughed.

They walked into Chase's room. He looked up.

"Oh you big idiot." Jonnie said and rushed over to his bed.

His lip was red and puffy and he had three butterfly bandages going in a diagonal line down his forehead. His arm was in a sling and he was hooked up to various machines. He smiled up at her.

"Hey, what'd I do?" He asked.

"Make me worry about you and all you have is a split lip, broken arm, and a few stitches." She said.

"Don't forget the concussion and my ribs are killing me." He said.

"You've walked away with more battle wounds from us fighting when we were little." She said and gently hugged him.

"Yeah well that's probably why I'm the less beat up, growing up with you made me thick skinned figuratively and literally." He said.

"Looks like you have to wait a few more months to drive kiddo." Leah said.

"Yeah, kind of figured on that." He said.

Leah had yet to really talk to him. When she had come in before there were all kinds of doctors. She walked up to his bed.

"I'm fine Lee. My thick skull doesn't crack easy." He said. She nodded.

"I know." She said and wiped her eyes.

"Aw fuck just let it out." He said and blinked rapidly.

"Chase Tucker watch your mouth." She said and started crying.

She hugged him.

"Oh god, baby boy, do you have any idea how much you scared me?" She asked.

He nodded afraid the words he wanted to say wouldn't make it past the prickly ball that rose up his throat and if they did he wasn't entirely sure his voice wouldn't crack with emotion. He wrapped his good arm around his sister.

"Scared your sister too." Leah muttered.

"Don't bring me into this." Jonnie mumbled sitting next to them on the bed and gripping his hand.

"I'm fine guys, er girls. You're stuck with me till college." Chase said.

"Thankfully I'm outta here in the fall." Jonnie mumbled.

"Just give up, you know you love me." He said.

"Genetics." She mumbled.

"Do you two ever get along?" Leah asked.

"Yeah sometimes we do, only on holidays and special occasions." Chase said.

Leah sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Okay I think I'm good now." She said.

A nurse came in.

"Hi I'm here with Mr. Ashmore's discharge papers, is his parent or guardian around?" She asked.

Leah nodded. "I'm right here, I'm his guardian." She said.

"Okay, Mr. Ashmore has a concussion, bruised ribs, a laceration on his forehead that required six stitches, and a broken radius. He has a few minor contusions and bruises also. He's been given Vicodin here for the pain and will be sent home with a prescription for it. The doctor wants him to follow up with his regular physician in a week to see how he's doing. The break was pretty clean but they'll want to do a follow up with that in a week also, that appointment has been scheduled for you here at the specialty center. Now if you don't have any questions or concerns, I'll just need you to sign here and you can be on your way." She said.

"Okay, so just give him the meds as needed or is he on a set schedule?" She asked. "He'll take them for seven days ever six hours, in between he can have Ibuprofen to help with swelling and pain but keep to the schedule otherwise he'll be a hurting until it kicks in. Once he sees the specialist they'll determine if he needs another round of it. Also keeping it elevated and no strenuous activity." She said as Leah signed.

"Okay, thank you." She said.

"You have a nice night now." The nurse said leaving them with the discharge papers. "Jonnie go pull your car up, I'm going to help him get up." Leah said.

Jonnie got up and dropped a kiss on her brother's forehead.

"Meet you up front." She said and left.

"Alright need help getting up?" She asked.

He nodded and looked away.

"I'm a little drowsy." He said.

She grabbed his good arm and put her other arm around his shoulders and pulled him up into a sitting position. He swung his legs over the edge and she grabbed his jeans from the table by his bed. She knelt down and held them for him while he shoved his legs in. He pushed himself up so he could stand. He brushed her hands away when she went to button them.

"I got it." He said quickly.

She rolled her eyes at him. She helped him take off the hospital gown and helped him put his t-shirt on. He shoved his feet into his shoes.

"Ready?" she asked.

He nodded. She wrapped an arm around his waist and let him lean on her.

"Sorry, I'm just really tired all of the sudden." He mumbled.

"It's okay." She said as she guided him through the corridors out to the waiting area. After helping him in the car they went home. Leah and Jonnie got him all settled in his room and he fell asleep.

After Ken had left the hospital he drove around aimlessly. He wasn't ready to go home yet he was too restless. He knew the guys were in Milwaukee and contemplated the drive there. He shook his head and sighed. He didn't feel like it tonight. Every time he met up with them on the road the guys tried to hook him up with a random girl. He'd went along with it a few times but it got old fast. He never claimed to be Mr. Nice guy and he could be a big asshole when he wanted to be but he hated when in the morning he'd wake up and try to leave with as little as fuss possible and the girl would freak. Come on if you get picked up at a bar after a few drinks by an equally buzzed guy all you are going to be is a one night stand, maybe if you hold out and don't run back to where the guy is staying you might get treated a little better.

He headed home. Maybe he could catch a game on TV since his beloved Brewers weren't in the series race he could see how the Sox were doing. Last he heard they were leading the Twins by three games. Ken pulled in his driveway and parked besides Leah's truck. Well he would see her again when she came to pick it up and maybe they could pick up where they left off. He smiled to himself at that thought. He highly doubted it because she didn't seem like that type of girl but then again she went home with him. And oddly enough he didn't know why the thought of hot, sweaty, sex with Leah didn't sit right with him. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts he failed to notice the car parked on the other side of Leah's truck. Before he could get in his house he noticed the light was on in his workout room. Shit I must of left it on, he thought to himself and went to go turn it off. He walked in and almost ran into John.

"What the fuck?" He said.

"Next time just shoot me, it'd be less embarrassing than to die of a heart at my age." He said.

"There's something wrong with your heart?" Randy asked.

"It's an expression, dumb ass." Cody mumbled.

"What are you guys doing here? More importantly, how did you guys get in here?" Ken asked.

"Well I put the key in the lock and turned it then it opened." John said.

"How'd you get a key?" Ken asked.

"The last time I stayed here you told me to lock up when I left." John said.

"We came to hang out before leaving tomorrow." Cody said.

Ken rolled his eyes. "Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest, I'm fine." He said.

"I wanna be dumb." Randy said and then stopped.

"Okay that didn't come out right." He said.

"You seriously gotta stop taking head shots, kid. You don't have enough brain cells left." Ken said.

Randy flipped Ken off. "So I'm guessing you guys have decided to stay here huh?" Ken asked eyeing the bags by the door.

"Yeah, you're stuck with us." John said.

Ken shrugged. "I'm going to need more beer than what I have then." He said and laughed.

"Good thing Randy stopped at the liquor store then huh?" Cody asked.

"Well it's your asses who are gonna be regretting it in the morning, not me." Ken said. "Please unlike the kid here I can hold my liquor." Randy said.

"And who was dragging your ass to the hotel last week?" Cody shot back.

"I drank twice as much as you." Randy said defensively.

"Dumb ass I was the DD." Cody said.

Ken and John were laughing by this time.

"I'm gonna kick your ass, kid." Randy growled.

"Please I fuckin had to sell your ass over when we had that match." Cody said.

"And they say I'm cocky?" Randy asked.

Cody laughed at Randy.

"Fuck off Runnels." Randy said.

Even though they all gave each other shit and would back each other into corners they'd all go to the wall for each other. They were unlikely bunch to be friends but they were. Ken went to the fridge and grabbed a beer for everyone. They cracked them open and began a long night of drinking.

"Dude you fucking suck at this game!" Randy said.

Cody flipped his friend off. They were playing foosball.

"You can't spin them like that it doesn't do shit." Cody said.

"It's blocked the last three goals hasn't it?" Randy asked.

Somehow they had turned foosball into a drinking game every time one team scored the other team had to drink.

"Shoulda just played beer pong." Cody complained.

"This ain't a frat house boy and were not little kids." John said.

"You know we'd kick your ass, shit I don't even need Randy. I could kick your two asses by myself." Cody said slightly slurring.

"I don't know if it's harder to understand you drunk when you slur or when your sober cuz you have a lisp." Ken said.

"Go fuck yourself." Cody said.

"Don't have to I can get a woman if I want to." He said taking a drink of beer.

"You two are cheating. This ain't a gossip session, we're playing a game here." John said throwing his beer in the trash and grabbing another.

"Hey grab me one." Randy said.

John tossed him one. Randy almost dropped it.

"You can't do that when he's sober what makes you think his hand eye coordination is better when he's drunk?" Cody asked.

Randy reached over and punched the younger man half-heartedly. John scored the winning goal.

"Drink up bitches." He said.

Ken glanced at the clock and groaned.

"It's fucking 5 in the morning." He said.

"Fuck that! We gotta be at the airport in 6 hours." Randy complained.

"Nah, dude we gotta be at the airport in 4 ½ hours. Meaning we gotta get up in like 3 ½ half hours." John said.

"Shit." Cody mumbled.

"Come on dumbasses, the guest bedrooms are set up." He said.

The four men walked into the house. Ken walked into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Want one?" He asked.

They nodded and he threw them each a bottle. Then he opened his cabinet and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen and threw it at them.

"Thanks." Cody said when he caught it.

"Night." He said and walked upstairs.

Ken pulled off his shirt and jeans. Wearing nothing but his boxers he fell back on the bed and rolled over on to his stomach. His bed was messed up from earlier and he reached down to grab a pillow. Under it he saw a strange black lump. He turned on the lamp and realized it was Leah's purse. He shoved it under the bed and grabbed his pillow. He set his alarm on his phone just incase the guys slept through theirs. He fell asleep almost instantly.

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	6. Chapter 6

Leah woke up bright and early the next morning

Leah woke up bright and early the next morning. She'd barely slept the night before because Chase had woken up and was in pain. She had stayed up with him most of the night before he fell into a fitful sleep. Jonnie was downstairs making coffee when Leah padded into the kitchen.

"I didn't expect you to be up." She said.

Leah yawned. "I smelled coffee and I need a ride." She said.

"Where?" Jonnie asked pouring them two cups of coffee.

"Ken's house, I left my truck there last night." She said.

"You slut!" Jonnie said laughing.

"Shut up." She mumbled.

"Well grab your keys and let's go." She said.

"Okay just let me find my purse." Leah said.

After five minutes of searching she came back in the kitchen.

"I can't find it." She said.

"What the hell did I do with last night?" She asked.

"You didn't have it at the hospital." Jonnie said.

Leah put her head in her hands and groaned.

"Fuck!" she said.

"Where is it?" She asked innocently.

"Somewhere at Ken's." She said.

Jonnie burst out laughing.

"Well call him." She said.

"I don't wanna! I was hoping to just get in my truck and leave." She said.

"Too bad you need your keys, just call him." Jonnie said.

Leah shook her head. Jonnie picked up her phone and scrolled through her messages until she came across a text from Ken. She then pushed the talk button and threw the phone at Leah.

"It's ringing." She said.

"You are so grounded." Leah said.

"Huh I thought I was to old for that?" A bewildered and gravely voice said.

"Uh hi Ken, it's Leah." She said.

She could feel her face burning up and turned away and walked out the patio doors. "Hey." He said and rolled over so he was lying on his back.

"Um sorry to wake you but I was wondering if I maybe left my purse there?" She asked. She felt like an idiot.

"Oh yeah it's here." He said.

"Oh okay is it okay if I come by and get it and my truck?" She asked.

"Sure just call when you get here." He said feeling his eyes fall shut.

"Okay bye." She said and hung up.

She closed her phone and smacked herself in the forehead.

"Could I have acted any more retarded?" She said.

"No probably not." Jonnie said.

"Shut up and lets go." Leah said.

They got in Jonnie's car and she gave her directions.

"He doesn't live that far away." Jonnie said.

"Bye!" Leah said and shut the door and dialed Ken's number.

"Lo?" He asked.

"Uh hey Ken I'm here." She said.

"Oh shit I thought you were coming later I'll be right down." He said.

Fuck the guys are up, oh shit they're going to say something. He thought panicking. He ran downstairs and to the door. He forgot that he was only in his boxers and his friends were too. They looked up at him curiously.

"Going somewhere?" Randy asked sipping coffee.

He glared at them and then opened the door.

"Hey, ah come in." he said.

Leah came in and he shut the door.

"Hey Ken, who's your friend?" John asked.

Leah just stared at the three men standing in front of her and then turned to Ken.

"Uh I'll go grab your purse for you." He said feeling like an idiot.

She nodded.

"Hi." Cody said scooping up a spoonful of cereal.

"Hi." She said.

"So that must be your truck outside." John said.

She nodded.

"Yeah, Hi." She said.

"I'm John, in the red is Randy, in the green is Cody." He said.

She smiled at them. Randy took another sip of his coffee and looked at her. Cody smacked him.

"Stop staring at the girl you're probably scaring her." He said.

John rolled his eyes.

"It is too damn early for this shit, shut up." He said and took a large sip of his coffee.

"So how do you know Ken?" Cody asked.

Randy opened his mouth but quickly shut it at the look he received from John. Ken came running back downstairs.

"Ignore them and if they said anything offensive I apologize." He said and handed her her purse.

"Thanks, uh nice meeting you." She said.

Ken shot a glare at the three men over his shoulder and walked her out to her truck. He made sure to shut the door behind him. They stood awkwardly at the truck.

"You didn't have to walk me out." She said lamely.

He shrugged. "It's cool." He said.

"Well I guess I'll see you around." She said and opened the door and got in.

He stopped her from closing the door. "How about dinner sometime?" He asked hopefully.

She sighed. "Look Ken, being with you last night was fun but I… I don't normally do stuff like that." She said.

"You don't go out and have a few drinks and play pool? You don't go out to eat?" He asked.

"You know what I meant." She said.

"Did I imply that?" He asked.

She jut looked at him skeptically. He leaned in and kissed her softly. He pulled slightly back.

"Look I like you, I want to get to know you." He said.

He stepped back. "Balls in your court now." He said and shut the door for her.

She started the car and left. He stayed where he was standing for a few minutes and then shook his head.

"You okay?" Randy asked as he handed him a cup of fresh coffee.

"You know this is the second time I've watched her leave confused as hell." He said before taking a sip.

Randy laughed. "They're like that. I couldn't even began to count how many times Sam has left me feeling like that." He said.

Ken looked over at him and smirked. "You can count now huh?" he said.

"Fuck off bitch. Here I am trying to sympathize with you and you gotta be a dick." He said.

Ken laughed. "What does your wife see in you anyways." Ken asked.

Randy shrugged. "Don't know, don't care but she loves me and we're married and she's pregnant. So I figure she's stuck with me." He said.

Ken laughed. "You know there is such a thing as divorce." Ken said.

"Yeah I know but I basically do whatever I have to to keep her happy which really doesn't bother me because then I get regular sex and I'm happy." Randy said. "Hopefully not even you can fuck it up." Ken said.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"So what was all that about?" John asked.

Ken shrugged. "Me and Rand were having a heart to heart." Ken said sarcastically.

"No I meant with that girl, Leah." John said.

"Nothing she came to pick up her purse and truck." Ken said walking into the kitchen to raid his cupboards. He settled for Frosted Flakes and poured himself a bowl.

"Ken likes her." Randy said.

"So she's more than a one nighter, huh?" Cody asked.

"Yeah but I haven't slept with her yet." Ken admitted.

"Then what was her bag doing in your room and her truck doing in your driveway?" Randy asked.

"We got interrupted and I had to bring her to the ER because her brother got in a car accident." Ken explained in between mouthfuls of cereal.

They nodded. John glanced at the clock. "We better get going." He said and the three men went to go get dressed.

Ken nodded to the men as they left.

"Thanks for letting us crash." John said.

"Yeah." He said.

"See you dumbasses later." He said.

John just flipped him off and backed out of the driveway. Randy leaned out the window. "Call her idiot." He shouted. Ken smirked and walked back in his house.

Leah pulled in the driveway and hurried inside to check on Chase. She peeked in and saw him sprawled over his bed, fast asleep. She left and went downstairs to email her professors. She could get away with work but not school. It was just to far if something came up with Chase. She was doing well in all her classes and her professors were amazingly understanding, hers were extenuating circumstances and they made allowances for her, as long as she kept them up to date. After she'd emailed them she wandered into the kitchen and looked through the cupboards. Chase loved waffles and she decided to make him some. The phone started ringing and she quickly answered it so it wouldn't wake Chase.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi, this is Joan from Two Rivers Veterinary Hospital. Murphy is ready to go home now." She said.

"Oh okay thank you." Leah said and hung up.

She finished mixing the batter and put it in the fridge. She grabbed her purse and went to go get Murphy. She groaned when she pulled into the only empty spot next to Ken's truck.

"You are an adult this does not constitute seeing him again nor do you have to feel obligated to talk to him." She mumbled to herself as she got out.

Who was she kidding? She was mad because when she had gotten home she had thrown on a pair of Chase's basketball shorts and put on a tanktop. She didn't think to change back because she was just going to the vet to pick up her stupid dog.

"Should have just let Murphy keep knocking up unsuspecting neighborhood dogs." She mumbled to herself as she walked into the vet.

"Good morning." The receptionist said.

Leah smiled at her. "I'm here to pick Murphy up." She said.

"Ok they'll bring him up in a few minutes. If you'll just take a seat." She said.

Leah held back a sigh and walked over to the row of chairs. She sat down and closed her eyes. She had way too much on her plate right now. She heard a door open and the unmistakable sound of Murphy scrambling across the floor. She smiled and waited for him. Balls or no balls he was going to jump on her and give her kisses until she pushed him away.

She opened her eyes and immediately burst out laughing. Murphy was straining against his leash, tongue lolling, and whining. The only thing different was he had on a cone collar. When he finally reached her he desperately tried to jump up on her and lick her but the collar wouldn't allow it. He was getting pissed, Murphy hated when he was being laughed at and he expressed his displeasure howling and trying to jump on her. She took the leash from tech.

"So how's he doing?" She asked.

"He's fine, he was a little upset last night. I take it he isn't usually kenneled over night." She said.

Leah laughed. "Nope he has run of the house. He'll make his rounds and then curl up with whoever will let him." She responded.

"You have to keep the collar on him until his stitches fall out, otherwise he'll get an infection. There will be some swelling for a few days but it should go down. If it's red, irritated, or still swollen after a few days bring him back in. Do you have any questions?" She asked.

"Nope." She said.

"Okay have a nice day." She said and walked away.

An eager Murphy pulled her to the door. As soon as Leah opened the door and ran out and went around the building and began sniffing.

"Come on Murph? Do we have to do this every time?" She asked. Every few feet he would stop and lift his leg.

As they went around the back she came face to face with Ken. She mentally groaned. "Hey." He said cheerfully.

"Hi." she said.

"Murphy! Heel!" she said and he stopped tugging on his leash and came and sat by her side.

"Holy shit he actually listens to you?" Ken asked.

"Yeah it took awhile to get through his thick skull but the shock collar helped, so did the treats." She said.

"I see he gets to have the neon bright hard collar that's a killer on the shins also." Ken said.

"Yeah he hasn't gotten me yet but he will." She said.

"Is your brother okay?" he asked.

"Yeah broken arm, some stitches, a concussion, and bruised ribs. Scared the shit out of me but he's currently passed out at home. Pain killers finally kicked in around 4 last night." She said.

"That's good to hear. How about you? You were pretty shocked last night." He said. "I'm fine." She said quickly.

He studied her for a moment and deceided that pushing her wasn't going to get him anywhere. He nodded.

"Good to hear." He said.

"Well I better get back I don't want to leave Chase for too long. He might wake up or something." She said and turned on her heel to leave.

He gently grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Leah?" he said. She looked up from studying their hands to his face.

"Try and keep him slightly propped up. Best thing for the ribs, believe me." He said. "Thanks." She said.

He still didn't let go of her hand. "Ken?" she said.

He angled his body close to hers and softly kissed her.

"Ball's still in your court." He said against her lips.

"I don't have time for a …" she gestured between their bodies with a hand.

"It's just dinner, Leah." He said.

"Just dinner huh? Just like last night was just meeting up for a drink or two." She said. "I didn't force you to do anything you didn't want to do." He said.

"I know but with everything going on right now I can't even get away for more than an hour unless I have work." She said.

"Leah, he's a big boy he can hang out at home for a few hours. Besides your parents will be around in case anything happens." He said.

"No they won't. I have to go, Ken." She said.

He followed behind her. Since they had parked side by side there was no avoiding each other while the prepared to go. He leaned out his window.

"By the way I got one for ya." He said.

"Huh what are you talking about?" she asked.

"Nice outfit, I bet it look a hell of a lot better on my floor." He said.

She laughed. "Come on you gotta do better than that." She said.

"Baby, I'm no Fred Flintstone but I can sure make your Bedrock." He said.

"Getting better but I heard that one from Luke." She said.

"Tell you what, if you find a good one and I haven't heard it yet I'll go to dinner with you next week." She said.

"Oh you're on, baby." He said and pulled out ahead of her.

She shook her head and pulled out of the parking lot and headed home.

She let Murphy in the house and he trotted up the stairs.

"You better leave him alone, mutt." She called out after him as she walked into the kitchen to finish making Chase waffles.

When she was finished she went upstairs to go check on him. She opened the door and saw him laying down and Murphy was curled up next to him.

"Chase?" she said. He grunted and shifted.

"Come on dude, you gotta eat." She said.

He opened his eyes and yawned.

"What we eatin?" he asked.

"I made waffles for you." She said.

"No shit?" he asked eagerly.

"Yeah come on I'll help you up." She said and went closer to his bed and helped him sit up.

He looked at Murphy and started laughing.

"What the fuck does he have on?" he asked.

"A cone collar so he doesn't lick or bite his stitches." She said.

He winced. "You went through with it huh?" he said and pet the dog.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not like he can't get it on, we just aren't going to get the results of it dumped on us." She said.

"It's a guy thing." He said as he struggled to get up.

"Here." She said.

"I got it Lee." He said stubbornly.

"God you are just like Dad." She said.

He smiled. "That's not a bad thing." He said.

She just scowled at him. "Stubborn as a fucking mule." She mumbled.

"You're worse." He said as he followed her downstairs.

"Boy seeing as I'm the one in charge of your pain meds I'd be nice to me if I was you." She said.

"Idle threats." He said smirking when she placed a plate in front of him.

"Kid just you wait, I'm just laying in wait to get you good." She said.

Chase picked up his fork and stared at his plate. She reached across and pulled it to her and cut it up for him. He sighed clearly frustrated.

"You always were an independent kid." She said matter of factly.

"I just like being able to do basic things by myself." He said.

"Get used to it Chasers, you're going to have to deal with it." She said sliding the plate back to him.

He pouted. "I'll be fine in a week or so." He mumbled.

"No you won't Chase you have a broken arm." She said. She shook her head to stop him from protesting.

"Not to mention a concussion and bruised ribs." She said.

"I'm only in the sling for a few days as precaution. After that it's just the cast. There is nothing they can do about the bruised ribs, yeah they'll hurt like a bitch but I'll deal and the concussion will go away around the same time as the cast." He said.

"What are you getting at here Chase?" she asked.

He jerked a shoulder. "I talked to Brady Lawerence, asked him if he needed any help at the garage. He said he would take me on afternoons after school and weekends." He said.

"We've been over this, Chase, you have too much on your plate with school, sports, and homework." She said.

"So what? During the season I could cut back on work hours. He knows I play football, Leah, his son's on the same team as me same as baseball." He said.

"You're only 15 Chase, and you need to focus on school and sports." She said.

"Why, I've never had any big ambition to go to a four year. I'd rather go into a trade, it just so happens I like messing around with cars and next year I can start PSEO and start in the construction management program." He said.

"And then next summer you will want to start doing a side job related to that. Next thing you know your grades will be shit and PSEO won't be an option anymore. And then there will be no college for you." She said.

"I don't want to go to a big university, Leah. I like doing shit with my hands, figuring out what's wrong and fixing it or building shit." He said.

"You may be taller than me and have a good twenty pounds on me, Chase Tucker, but that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass so watch your damn mouth." She said.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Wonder where I get it from?" he said.

"I swear along with dicks boys get extra smart ass genes." She said.

Chase finished his waffles. "Want more?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No I'm good." He said rotating his shoulder.

"Why do I have a sling anyways? I didn't do anything to my shoulder or collarbone." He muttered.

"It's for a few days. It helps your arm and ribs, less movement." She said.

"Yeah well it itches." He said.

"Too bad so sad." She said dryly.

"I should probably do some of my homework." He said.

"I thought you were doing that last night." She said.

"We were working on our project which is almost done. Then I was going to do my other stuff." He said.

"Your bag isn't here. I'll call Jonnie and ask her to pick it up for you along with your other stuff." Leah said carrying the dishes to the sink.

"Alright." He said and got up.

"Thanks." He said.

"Yeah no problem. Try to stay up, you're due for your pill in a little bit." She said.

He nodded. "And we should probably prop you up, someone told me it's better for your ribs." She said.

"Leah, I'm fine. I'm just a little banged up." He said.

She nodded fighting back the tears. He mumbled under his breath and wrapped his good arm around his older sister. "

Why does your kind always cry? It makes us feel all helpless and dumb. We hate feeling helpless ya know." He said.

"Too bad, it builds character." She said sniffling.

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek and pulled back surprised.

"Is that stubble?" She demanded running a hand down his reddening cheek.

"Yeah I guess so." He mumbled and saw fresh tears swim in her eyes.

"When did you get stubble?" She demanded.

He shrugged and winced. "I don't know I forgot to write in my diary that day." He said. "You're too young for it, you're just a little boy." She said.

"It's hair no need to cry, now stop." He said panicking.

"Hormonal changes or something like that, I'll shave a few times a day, now stop." He said.

"I'm older than you you cannot tell me what to do and I'm a girl so I can cry if I want to." She said.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been three days since Leah had last talked to Ken and she had yet to call him or text him. She just had so much going on was it really worth bringing another variable into the mix. Oh great, now I am thinking in math terms, god I hate math, she thought to herself. Her phone started ringing and she answered.

"Hey." she answered.

"Hey loser, where are ya?" Jonnie asked good naturedly.

"On my way home from school, where are you you?" she asked.

"At home, so Mitch and I were thinking we'd stay in tonight, ya know. Have a movie night maybe order some pizza maybe play some games. He feels bad for Chase and wanted to cheer him up. Maybe invite Luke and Leo over." she said.

"Yeah that's fine, any particular movies you guys want I'll stop and get them." She offered.

"No it's cool Mitch is gonna come over in a little bit and we're going to go them." Jonnie said.

"Oh okay then. she said.

"So have you talked to Ken?" Jonnie asked.

"No." She said.

"Call him I'll be home all night, Mitch will be here with me, and Leo and Luke are coming over. We're all occupied and fine. Go out with Ken and have some fun." She said.

"He probably had plans." Leah said.

"Call and find out!" Jonnie said and hung up.

Leah sighed and shut her phone. She flipped it back open and scrolled through her contacts until she came to his name. She pressed talk before she could talk herself out of it.

"Hello." he answered.

"Hey Ken, it's Leah." She said.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked.

"Fine, you?" She asked.

"I'm good, took you long enough." he said.

"Yeah, I know." She said.

"So what are you up to?" He asked.

"Driving home from school, actually. I had to go in to take a midterm." She said.

"Oh cool, how'd it go?" he asked.

"Alright I guess, so what are you up to this weekend?" she asked.

"Nothing much I've actually been so bored I started putting a dent into my laundry." He said.

"Any casualties?" she asked.

"Nope my mom trained me well actually." He said laughing.

"I'm impressed most guys I know either beg someone else to do it or buy all colored clothes so they can't mess up." She said.

"Well I'm a one of a kind I guess." he said.

Yeah sounds like it, can you cook too?" She asked.

"Just the basics." He said.

She laughed at him.

"Well how come you haven't been snapped up by some woman?" She asked.

"My job is hard on them I guess." he said.

"Oh come on what you work nights or something?" She asked.

"Yeah you could say that." He said.

"So why all the secrecy?" She asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." He pointed out.

"Alright I guess it's a stalemate." she said.

"Yeah." He said.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Ken asked propping his feet up on his coffee table. "Nothing I guess I'm getting booted out of my house tonight by the kids." She said. "You could come over here and hang out." He said.

"Is that an euphenism for sex?" She asked.

"Nope if all I wanted from you was sex I would have let's have sex or something equally blunt." he said.

"Do lines like that work for you usually?" She asked him. "Yeah most of the time they do." He said.

"Wow." she said laughing.

"So do you want to come and hang out with me?" He asked.

"Well I got nothing better to do." She said.

"Ouch that hurts." he said.

"So I'll see you around...." He asked.

She glanced at her dash to check the time.

"Um I got a good hour drive ahead how about 6ish so I can run home." she said. "Sounds good, I'll see you in a few hours then." He said.

"Yeah, see ya." She said and hung up.

She tossed her phone onto the seat next to her and turned up her radio. Twice in one week you agree to go to a complete strangers house just to hang out my ass you'll end up sleeping with him and we both know it! She berated herself. She scrolled through her ipod to try and find something to listen to and decided on her workout playlist. Soon My Chemical Romance's Teenagers was blaring out of speakers and she was singing along. It changed over to Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

"Ugh I should probably hit the gym soon." She mumbled and poked her stomach. While she wasn't fat by any means and she wasn't skinny. Jonnie had described her as curvy once and that's as close as she could come to describing herself. She continued to make her way through traffic and tried to think about what they were going to do for Thanksgiving.

"Next week is soon enough to worry about that." She mumbled as she manuevered into the next lane. Every year people forgot how to drive in snow and it pisses her off. Instead of going 40 miles per hour at best they should have been going at least 55 but no, it was snowing so her hour trip was going to be turned into a 2 hour trip.

She finally got home after an hour and a half and ran inside.

"I'm home!" She yelled walking through the house.

In the kitchen she found a post it on the counter.

Went to get movies, munchies, and the keg... I mean guy's. Anyways have fun your ass better be gone or on your way out when you get home. Don't worry about coming home we'll be fine. Mitch is spending the night ok? Have fun.

She rolled her eyes at her sister and walked upstairs to get ready. She jumped in the shower since she wanted sleep more than anything else this morning. She got out and dug in her closet. She grabbed a pair of comfortable jeans and nice long sleeve shirt and a hoodie. She wasn't sure what they were going to do but if they went out her long sleeve shirt was nice enough. She pulled on her shoes and went downstairs. She wrote a quick note to the kids.

House better be clean when I get home. No funny business, no coed sleeping arrangements either. I'll be home when I'm home.

She hurried out the door and headed to Ken's Instead of being nervous or anxious she was actually looking forward to tonight. She got went up and knocked on his door. Ken opened it and gestured her in. She toed off her shoe. She followed him into his living room.

"So did you want to do anything or just hang out?" He asked.

"I'm good either way." she said. He chuckled.

"Well I got a bunch of movies, every game system known to man, there's bound to be something on TV or I have a game room with a pool table and some old school arcade games, darts and that type of thing. Or if you wanted to go out and do something whatever's cool." he said sitting next to her on the couch.

"I'm cool with watching a movie if you don't mind staying in. I've had enough of people on the drive home today." She said.

"Traffic bad huh?" He asked.

"Oh yeah" she said.

"Well I'm gonna grab a beer want one?" He asked.

"Sure." she said.

"Go ahead and pick out a movie." he said as he walked into the kitchen.

He came back and found her sitting down and looking at his DVD collection. He sat on the coffee table behind her.

"Problem?" He asked.

"You have way too many movies." she said. He laughed.

"Just pick one out." he said.

She looked up at him and rolled his eyes at him.

"Just for that I'm picking a chick flick." She said.

"Remember I always get something in return." He said and winked.

"Xmen." she said.

He took it from her and put it in. She settled on the couch and took a sip of her beer. Ken turned the light off and sat next to her. They sat in companiable silence and watched the movie. By the end Leah was curled up next to Ken with her head pillowed on his shoulder.

"Wanna watch another?" He asked.

"Sure, your pick." She said and stretched.

"Where's your bathroom?" She asked.

"Down the hall and to the left." He said.

She got up and walked back. He cleared the bottles and grabbed two more and came back and put in the next movie. Leah came back and sat down. They started the next movie.

"I think you're trying to get me drunk." She said. He nodded.

"Easier to take advantage of you then." he said smiling.

She lightly slapped his arm.

"I'm gonna have to call Jonnie to come get me." she said.

"You can crash here if you want." he said.

"I'll think about it." she said.

Ken put his arm around her shoulders and she laid her head against his chest.

She looked up at him and studied his face.

"Like what you see?" He asked. She nodded.

"You should grow it out." she said rubbing her fingers against his stubble.

"It grows in patchy. All I can manage is a goatee." he said.

"Well you should grow one." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"It'll make you look hotter than you already are." she said honestly.

"Honey you are great for my ego." he said.

She rolled her eyes at him and giggled.

"I like when your tipsy you let your guard down." he said playing with her hair.

"Who says I'm tipsy?" She asked.

"You giggle alot." he said.

"Okay so maybe I am so that means I can get away with this." She said and tipped her face up to kiss him.

He smiled down at her when she pulled back.

"You can do that anytime you want to." He said and kissed her again.


	8. Chapter 8

Leah yawned and fought to keep her eyes open. Ken's fingers sifted through her hair. "Wanna go to bed?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Okay, come on." he said and got up.

he helped her to her feet and led her up the stairs. He opened the first door they came too. She looked in the room and then back at Ken.

"Can I sleep with you?" She asked shyly.

He smiled.

"Of course." He said and they went to his room.

He went to his dresser and dug around in his drawer.

"Here." He said and threw a pair of his boxers to her.

"Thanks, think I could borrow a shirt too?" She asked.

He nodded and tossed her one. She went into the connecting bathroom to change. When she came back out Ken was laying down and lifted up the covers and she slid in next to him. Ken wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Aren't they gonna wonder where you are?" Ken asked.

Leah laughed.

"Jonnie probably locked all the doors so I couldn't get back in the house. She thinks I should have sex with you to loosen up." she said.

Ken burst out laughing.

"Well being tense and stressed is hell on the system." he said.

"Mine's used to it." she said and gripped his wrist.

He chuckled and wiggled his fingers causing her to squirm.

"Ticklish?" He asked.

"No." she said trying not to laugh.

"Liar." he said.

She turned so she was facing him and poked him in the stomach.

"No fair." she said pouting.

He kissed her.

"Better?" He asked.

She nodded and poked him in his side.

He sucked in a breath.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." he said.

"Yeah? Why not?" she asked doing it again.

"Because your ticklish too and I'm bigger and stronger and will win." he said. "Probably but I'll put up a good fight." she said.

"Didn't you say you were tired?" Ken asked.

"I am but I'm not quite ready to go to bed yet but I'm not up for a tickle fight either." she said.

He lifted a brow in question and smirked.

"Get your mind outta the gutter Ken." she said.

He shrugged.

"I'm a guy it's kinda always somewhat in the gutter." he said.

She laughed.

"So you asked me why a great guy like myself hasn't been snatched up. What about you?" He asked.

She shrugged.

"I'm not all that great of a catch." she said.

"Yeah you are, you like sports, you drink beer not some fruity ass drink that makes a guy feel like a dick when he orders it, you're straight forward, and you're hot." He said. She blushed.

"Most guys like girly girls who always look perfect and shit like that. I'm too much like a guy for most." She said.

"Who ever told you that was a dumb ass. Guys like girls like you that don't need a guy to call or be with them all the time. We want our girls to get along with our friends and have some of the same interests as us. We sure as hell hate waiting hours for your breed to get ready and we like to see you without a few layers of makeup on. You have a lot in common with me, you would get along great with my friends, you really don't wear make up and I was gonna call you today if you didn't call." he said.

"So I'm guessing you like me?" she asked her eyes following the path her finger was tracing on his shoulder.

"Look at me." he said softly.

She did so, hesitantly.

"If I didn't like you I wouldn't have asked you out, nor would you be here." he said. "Guy's don't have to like girls to sleep with them." Leah countered.

"We haven't slept together have we? And I'm not guys I'm me. I like you, I like spending time with you and I want to get to know you better." he said.

She smiled shyly and kissed him.

"Me too." she murmured against his lips.

He rested his forehead against her.

"Well then quit taking forever to call me back." he said.

She laughed.

"Well this next week is gonna be busy for me with work and Thanksgiving coming up." she said.

He nodded.

"Yeah I'm gonna have to listen to the guys bug me about coming to one of their houses." he said.

"What about your family?" She asked.

"My mom's probably gonna go to my sister's and I really don't feel like it, I don't feel like going to the guys' either. I'll probably chill here and watch football." He said.

"You can come over to my place if you want. It's nothing big we usually divvy up the food between us but it's just me, Johnnie, and Chase. Mitch'll probably show up later on." she said.

"What about your parents?" He asked.

"Their dead." She said flatly.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry." He said.

"It's fine." she said looking up at him.

"So you wanna come over?" she asked.

"Yeah if you don't mind." he said.

"No problem." she said and used his arm as a pillow.

He played with her hair while he thought. No wonder she's so stressed out all the time. She takes care of her brother and sister, works, and goes to school, he thought to himself. He laid awake a long time after she drifted off to sleep.

She woke up the next morning and stretched. She smiled as memories from last night flitted through her mind. She turned to find the bed empty and frowned. She then shrugged and looked around. When she saw that no one was in the room and buried her face in Ken's pillow. He smelt so good.

"Miss me?" his deep voice was laced with amusement.

She blushed and looked up at him. He clearly had just gotten out of the shower and was standing there in his boxers and jeans. He had a towel in his hands which he briskly rubbed over his hair. He then tossed it in the general direction of a hamper. She rolled her eyes when it landed on the floor a few feet from his target. She got up and put it in the basket.

"You don't have to pick up after me." he said pulling on an affliction t shirt.

"Pet peeve of mine." she explained.

He chuckled. She grabbed her clothes and walked towards the bathroom. "Bathroom's all yours, feel free to use the shower and whatever you need." He said.

"I don't have a change of clothes." She said.

"You can borrow a pair of my track pants and a t shirt if you want." he offered and started digging through his drawers.

He pulled out a pair of gray and maroon sweatpants from Hollister and a black affliction t shirt. He tossed them at her.

"Clean towels are hanging up." He said and gestured towards the bathroom.

She jumped in the shower and quickly washed her hair.

"What is with guys and two in one shampoo and conditioner?" She mumbled as she rinsed it out.

"If they made a three in one shampoo, conditioner, and body wash they'd be all over that shit." she mumbled.

She stepped out and found a pack of toothbrushes and took one out. She then brushed out her hair and threw it up in a messy bun.

She walked out of the bathroom and followed the smell of coffee downstairs. Ken leaned against the island counter, looking out the window, holding a mug of steaming coffee. Leah padded across the room to the coffee pot.

"Oh I see how it is. You sleep in my bed in my clothes, use my shower, wear my clothes, and the first thing you reach for is the coffee pot." He said smiling.

"Actually the first thing I reached for was you and then settled on your pillow." she said matter-of-factly as she blew on the steaming liquid.

He smirked lazily. He set his coffee down and took hers from her and grabbed the drawstring of her sweatpants and pulled her to him.

"Well I'm here now." he said.

She looked up at him shyly through her lashes.

"So what were you planning on doing this morning?" He asked settling his hands on her hips.

"Well it's kinda hard to straddle you standing up but I can improvise." she said as she rose up on her toes and kissed him.

Her arms linked around his neck.

"I think I get the full effect if I sit down. Hold on." he said and lifted her and walked to the couch to sit down.

"No I think I do." she said and moved her hips slightly.

"Well it's a mutual thing then." He said and kissed her again.

She laughed and pulled away a few minutes later.

"Oh you think this is funny huh?" He asked.

"You started it." she said.

"Hoping you would finish it I guess." He said.

She leaned back and looked at him.

"I don't just want sex from you, Leah." He said when she didn't say anything.

"I want to but not yet, sorry." she said.

"I'm not a horny teenager I can deal." He said.

"Doesn't feel like it." she said.

"Well it's no longer the only thing on my mind, and I have learned to be able to control my baser urges." He said.

She smiled at him and kissed him, then moved off his lap. She looked around.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Um probably like 10ish." he said.

"I'll never hear the end of it." she mumbled.

"Huh?" He asked.

"They are going to think I slept with you." she said.

"You did." he said smirking.

"You know what i mean, you big jerk." she said.

He shrugged.

"Who cares? You're the adult you don't have to answer to them." He said.

"Not with them. Jonnie will bug me for the juicy details, and Chase will well he won't want to know." she said.

"Yeah most guys don't like hearing about their sisters having sex. I have a niece and I'm convinced the stork dropped her off." He said.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Guys are weird you think about it all the time but when it comes to people other than yourselves you can't stand thinking about it." she said.

"That's not true just female relatives." He said.

She just shook her head at him.

"Want some breakfast or something?" He asked.

"Let me guess I get to cook?" she said.

"Nope we can go out or I can manage." He said.

"Oh that's right you can cook, well let's see and cereal doesn't count." she said.

He laid a hand on his heart and gave her a wounded look.

"I can cook thank you." he said.

"Okay I'm sorry for offending your cooking abilities. Better?" She asked after she gave him a quick kiss.

"Mmm-hmm. Now let's see if the guys cleared me out although I can't see any of them making more than cereal." He said and opened his fridge.

She jumped up on the counter and watched him.

"Yeah that was kind of a shock being greeted by 4 guys in boxers not that I'm complaining." She said.

"They just kind of showed up should have never given them a key." he said.

"You know the one in the red Andy? He was kind of cute." She said.

"Oh he'll love that, Randy and he's married, what about me aren't I cute?" he asked pulling out eggs, bread, and milk.

"No your hot." She replied.

"Damn right." he said mixing eggs and milk haphazardly.

"You plan on making that whole loaf?" she asked.

"Nope only half the rest I'll just fry up for scrambled eggs." He said.

He began dipping slices in the batter and frying them up.

She laughed at him when he burnt his fingertips on the side of the frying pan. He scowled at her while he sucked on them.

"It's not funny." he said.

She shook her head.

"No but you dancing and waving your hand around is." she said.

He stuck his tongue out at her. She jumped down.

"Where are the plates and silverware?" she asked.

"Second drawer on the right and the cupboard to the left of the sink." He said.

she gathered the items and set them on the table.

"Here I'll finish go run your fingers under cold water." she said.

"I'm fine." he mumbled as she took the spatula from him and flipped the eggs.

She put them on an extra plate and brought them to the table. They ate and talked. "The way you eat you should weigh 500 pounds." She said.

"I'm a growing boy, besides I got a fast metabolism and am extremely physically active." He said.

"I hate you." she said.

"Why?" He asked.

"I eat a Snickers bar and it goes straight to my ass or thighs, you eat almost half a loaf of french toast and a plateful of eggs and nothing." She said as they brought their dishes to the sink.

He spun her around so she was facing him and wrapped his arms around her. "Believe me there is nothing wrong with your ass." he said giving it a friendly squeeze. "So please don't ruin the fantasy by saying your fat." he said.

"Fantasy?" she asked.

"You're laid back and don't let shit bug you too much don't do a girl thing and say your fat when you aren't." He said.

"I never said I was fat but I still gotta work at not getting there. Speaking of which I gotta hit the gym up soon." She said. He rolled his eyes at her and she playfully slapped his arm.

"Well I gotta get going, I can only trust them alone so long, and right now I am on borrowed time." She said. He pouted.

"I work tonight maybe you could just happen to swing by around closing." she said.

"Where?" He asked.

"Tippy's, I close up tonight. Maybe once I'm done we could shoot a game of pool or something." She said. He nodded.

"Alright I'll see you later then." He said as they walked outside. She gave him a quick kiss before she got in and left.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry about the lack of updates

I know most people don't read these but I haven't updated forever because there's been a lot of stuff going on. The norm being school and work and hanging out with my friends. But my dad recently had a heart attack and while he was doing well for awhile afterwards he's taken a turn for the worse. His meds have stopped working for him and it's been a whole dilemma finding new ones that will. Two of his four main arteries are now totally blocked well one is the other is 90 blocked. The third has 4 stints in it and the fourth has 5 stints in it to keep them open and functioning. Hopefully the meds the doctors gave him this time will work this time around, otherwise he'll have to have yet another surgery for it. And since he's a stubborn ass he hates taking his meds and going to his dr. appts so I have to go with to make sure he actually does what he's supposed to do. I pray for him and ask that my friends and fans will do the same cuz every little bit counts.


	10. Chapter 10

"You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. You just had a few drinks and slept over at a friend's house." She mumbled to herself as she walked up to her front door.

"I'm home and everything better still be intact and clothes better be on!" she yelled as she walked in.

Instead of the frenzied greeting she was anticipating she was greeted with silence. Since Mitch's SUV was still there she figured they were still sleeping. She walked into the living room and cringed at the various dishes, bags, and boxes that were lying all over the room. She then rolled her eyes when she realized that while Mitch was sleeping on the couch like he should have been, Jonnie was sprawled on top of him.

"Well at least they are still clothed." She muttered.

Chase was sprawled out on the recliner and Luke was passed out on her love seat. She shrugged and went upstairs to change. When she went back down Luke and Chase were up and watching TV.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey are you just getting in?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, so..." She replied.

He just shook his head and focused on the screen.

"She didn't get laid dude, she doesn't have that just got laid look." Luke said.

"Shut up, Luke." Chase growled.

"Not that it is any of your business who or what I did last night, Chase Tucker Ashmore, I didn't sleep with Ken. I had a few drinks and he offered to let me stay." She said.

He jerked a shoulder and winced. "Whatever." He mumbled.

"So what did you guys do last night?" She asked shoving Luke's feet off the love seat so she could sit.

"We watched movies and played Wii. Then Jonnie made dinner and we hung out and watched more movies and passed out." He said glancing briefly at his older sister.

"Yeah I see that." She said nodding her head to the still sleeping duo.

"So any exciting plans for the day?" she asked.

Luke grinned and chuckled and Chase threw a pillow at him.

"Am I missing something?" She asked looking between the two boys.

"He's being a dumb shit, just ignore him." He mumbled as a dull flush climbed his neck.

"Okay… well maybe we should wake them up and clean up then." She said.

"Why do I have to clean up because some girl is coming over because our slow and slightly stupid, baby brother just opened his eyes and realized Tracey Millers is absolutely in love with him." Jonnie asked.

"She's coming over?" Leah asked.

"She was over last night for a little bit." Jonnie informed her older sister, stretching.

"Hmm." She said.

"Yeah so enough about our night what happened with you?" She asked sitting up. Leah smiled and shook her head.

"Nothing, we just watched movies and had a few drinks, so I spent the night." She said.

"Okay I saw this guy and he's hot why didn't you jump him?" She demanded.

"Seriously can you guys talk about this somewhere else? I don't want to hear about this shit." Chase mumbled and got up.

Luke smirked and followed his friend upstairs. Mostly likely to give him more shit about Tracey.

"Is he a good kisser?" she asked. Leah nodded.

"Oh yeah." She said giggling.

"Did you guys do anything else?" She asked.

"We made out and cuddled. I slept with him but we didn't have sex we just talked and cuddled." She said.

Jonnie bounced up in down in excitement and Mitch grunted.

"Babe don't bounce." He said lifting her and settling her lower on his legs.

"Didn't I say no coed sleeping arrangements?" she asked. Mitch shrugged.

"I slept on the couch like I was supposed to." He said grinning.

"We fell asleep watching movies, obviously nothing happened the boys were down here too." Jonnie said.

"Are we done talking about that shit now, I'm hungry." Chase complained stomping in the room. A grinning Luke followed him.

"Yeah, we're done. Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah." He said dropping in the chair. "Well clean this place up, Mitch may be used to it but we don't want to scare Tracey away." She said and got up.

"Well are we going to scare away your boyfriend, or are you planning on never introducing us." Chase asked.

"He's not my boyfriend, Chasers and you guys won't scare him off but we'll put that to the test on Thursday." She said pulling out eggs and milk. "Don't call me that! Wait he's coming over on Thanksgiving?" he asked.

"He doesn't have anywhere to go so I invited him. It's not like we do it traditionally anyways. I didn't think you guys would mind." She said.

"Sure sounds like he's your boyfriend. He comes over on holidays; you spend the night and shower at his house." Chase mumbled.

"You showered at his house?" Jonnie asked. "Yeah, so what? How did you know?" she asked.

"You smell like a guy, Lee. Besides you came home in different clothes than you're wearing now." He said matter of factly.

"Observant little brat aren't you?" She muttered.

"I see what I see, sis." He said laughing. "And hear what you hear. Go away before I decide to pull out the naked baby pictures album." She said shooing him out of the kitchen.

"I took all mine out all that's left are Jonnie's and Mitch has already seen them." Chase said.

"Honey, I have duplicates." Leah said smirking. "Mom just had to take bath time pictures didn't she?" he mumbled disgustedly. While she made breakfast they cleaned up the living room.

Mitch came in with a half filled garbage bag.

"Any trash in here?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know where it is." She said.

He grabbed both bags and brought them out into the garage. Once he was done he sat down at the counter.

"Where's the rest of the bunch? Breakfast is almost ready." She said.

"Upstairs." He said. She set a plate of waffles, hash browns and bacon in front of him.

He grinned and thanked her.

"Thanks." She said.

He looked up at her. "For what?" he asked.

"For being there for Jonnie and helping out around here." She said.

He shrugged. "I'm her boyfriend of course I'll be there for her and all I did was take out the trash." He said.

"You do more than that Mitch and I appreciate it. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold." She said.

"Yes ma'am." He said.

"Smart ass." She mumbled.

"Not that it's any of my business or anything but I think it's cool that you're seeing someone. You deserve to be happy." He said around a mouthful.

"What time do you have to go to work?" Jonnie asked after breakfast.

"8 o'clock." She said.

"Oh so you have to close?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, I close all week then I'm off for the holiday weekend." She said.

"You and Ken should do something this weekend." Jonnie said.

Leah gave her a warning look. "No, I think I'm going to hang out here with you guys. Chase is hurt and I have homework, besides I never have all weekend off so I was hoping we could do something." She said.

"Dude if you try to bring us to Dell's again I will hurt you." Chase said laughing.

"Well I guess I'll have to cancel the reservations then." She said laughing.

"Yeah as much as I hate to admit it Dell's sucked last year." Jonnie said. "Don't worry we aren't going to Dell's. I thought we could just chill and hang out around here." Leah said.

They shrugged. "Don't get too excited now kids remember it's still a whole week away." She said sarcastically. Before they could reply the doorbell rang. "Don't look at me, it's obviously not anyone for me Mitch is here and my friends would have called." Jonnie said. "I don't think Ken knows where we live. So it's all you Chasers." Leah said. "I'm hurt remember." Chase said. "Lazy ass." Leah said and went to go answer it.

A young girl stood outside nervously. "Hi, I'm Tracey. Is Chase around?" She asked.

"Yeah come on it." Leah said opening the door wider.

"I'm his older sister Leah, by the way." She said as she led her back to the kitchen.

"Chase, you have company." She said. He nodded and turned.

"Hey, Trace." He said smiling.

"Hey." She said shyly.

Jonnie rolled her eyes. "Come on Mitch lets go watch a movie or something." She said.

"I can't babe; I gotta help my dad out this afternoon. I'll call you when I'm done okay?" he said.

"Yeah I guess." She said pouting slightly. "Can I catch a ride with you?" Luke asked.

"Yeah." He said.

"So yeah, come help me with something?" Jonnie said and grabbed her older sister's arm.

Once they got upstairs and into Leah's room they started laughing.

"Does she just stare at him or what?" Leah asked. Jonnie nodded.

"Yeah basically, but I think it's worse today because he's shirtless." She said.

"Oh god, I can handle Mitch he doesn't stare or drool but I don't think I can handle her. And He's so oblivious to it." Leah said lying down.

"For the most yeah, he is. I just don't think he knows what to do with her. He pretty much ignored her last night and when he did talk to her she barely managed monosyllables. All well she's the starter girlfriend he'll get what he wants and move on." Jonnie said.

"What do you mean by get what he wants?" Leah demanded.

"Exactly what you think it means." Jonnie replied.

"He's fifteen he doesn't even know what sex is." Leah said.

Jonnie rolled her eyes at her older sister. "Yes he does and since all his friends besides Luke have been there and done that he will too, sooner or later." She said.

"They've all had sex with Tracey?" Leah asked.

"No they've just had sex." Jonnie said.

"Okay I can't handle this conversation right now so we are so not gonna have it." Leah said.

The younger girl grinned. "Okay let's talk about you and Ken then." She said.

Leah rolled her eyes. "There is nothing to talk about Jonnie, were just friends." She said.

"Who sleep in the same bed, and cuddle, and make out. He's hot Leah, and the guy came with you to the hospital because on your first date and called afterwards. He wants you. From his point of view you guys aren't just friends." She said.

"Shut up with your logic, I know we aren't just friends, okay? He basically told me he wants to be more than just friends and I'm pretty sure I do to." She said.


	11. Chapter 11

Jonnie squealed happily. Leah simply put her head in her hands and sighed.

"Why is it such a bad thing that you want to be with somebody?" She asked her older sister simply. "Because I may be a 21 year old college student but I don't just have myself to think of anymore, Jonnie. I have to think about you and Chase. You guys are a huge factor in all my decisions because I'm your guardian, anything that affects me affects you guys, too." She said.

"Leah, Chase and I are fine. Yeah it's hard for us just as it is for you, actually more so because of us for you, but we're moving along. Do you think Mom and Dad wouldn't want you to be happy?" She asked. "Who says Ken can make me happy?" She asked.

"Basically you just did." She said.

"Yeah, but for how long? I don't even know what he does for a living. He's gotten a divorce because of it though." She said.

"So ask him, talk to him." She recommended.

"What did I say about logic and reason? I have no time to think rationally when I'm trying to panic." Leah said laughing.

"Well someone has to keep your ass grounded. And to think I always thought I'd be getting advice from you." She said.

She glared at her younger sister. "He's gotten a divorce? Wow he must have gotten married young." Jonnie said.

"Not really, he's 32." Leah responded.

"Really? He doesn't look it; I would have pegged him at 27 tops." She said.

She brushed her long dark hair out of her face.

"Yeah I thought he was younger too." The younger girl just grinned.

"You know what that means right?" She said.

"He's 11 years older than me?" She said.

"No he's bound to be good in bed, ya know because of experience." She said.

"What is your sudden interest in my sex life?" She asked.

"I have to live vicariously." Jonnie said shrugging.

"Vicariously my ass… you've gotten more play in the last month than I have in the last year." Leah said. The younger girl grinned.

"Yeah, probably, hey Lee." She said apprehensively.

"Oh god do I want to even go here, right now?" She asked.

"We've been talking lately and even though we haven't gotten that far, can we schedule an appointment? Just in case?" Jonnie asked.

Leah sighed. "Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll call tomorrow." She said

Before Jonnie could come up with a smart ass remark Leah's phone started ringing.

"Who is it" Jonnie demanded and scrambled up so she could read the display.

"Put it on speaker and answer it!" she said.

"No I'm not putting it on speaker, you freak, now go away." She said.

Jonnie grabbed the phone and put it on speaker and answered it before throwing it at her older sister. "Hey." She said awkwardly.

"Hey, just so you know, you are now wearing my favorite shirt." Ken said.

Leah smirked.

"Yeah it's comfy, so are the pants." She said.

Ken laughed. "Next you're going to tell me you're lying in bed." He said.

"Actually I am." She responded.

Ken groaned. "Okay that's so not fair. Why couldn't you have stayed here and laid in bed? I promise it would have been a lot more enjoyable." He said.

"I have work later and besides I wanted to lie in my own bed." She said.

"I can come over, ya know, I can be there in less than ten minutes." He said.

"So more than friends!" Jonnie said.

"Huh?" Ken said. Leah groaned.

"Oh fuck, I forgot that you are on speaker." She said.

Ken burst out laughing.

"So who heard our prelude to phone sex so I know who to avoid having any sort of conversation with for a while?" He asked.

"My sister Jonnie." She said.

"And this is my cue to leave, have fun!" Jonnie said.

"Bye Jonnie!" he said.

"Talk to you later, Ken." She said.

Leah turned off the speaker feature on her phone and put it to her chest.

"That so wasn't a prelude to phone sex, I was just messing with him." Leah said as her sister walked out. "You are so caught up in him you forgot I was in the room and could hear everything you two were saying." She said.

Leah flicked her younger sister off as she shut the door.

"She's right you know." Ken said.

"About what?" she asked wearily hoping he hadn't over heard the last part of her and Jonnie's conversation.

"Us being more than friends." He said.

"Oh really?" She asked.

"Yeah, I don't try to sleep with my friends, and one nighters don't come to my house, and you've been to my house twice and I'm trying to sleep with you." He said.

"So what does that make us?" She asked.

"What do you want us to be?" he asked.

"I asked you first." She said.

"Since you've reverted to elementary tactics I'll be the adult in our relationship." He said. "Relationship?" She said.

"Yeah, so about me coming over…" he said.

"No I'll see you later tonight remember." She said.

"I'm beginning to think you don't want me to meet your family." He said teasingly.

"Well Chase might meet you at the front door with a thirty ought six, so I'm only thinking of your safety." She said.

"If that's what I have to go through to get in your room it might be worth it." He said.

"You know you still haven't answered my question." She said.

"Look I could give you a whole speech about how I want to get to know you better and find common interests and all that but the bottom line is I want to be with you Leah and not in a friends sort of way." He said.

"Does that answer your question?" He asked.

"Yeah in a vague sort of way." She said.

"You like fucking with me don't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's fun." She said.

"I'm sure I'll like returning the favor." He said.

"Yeah you probably will, I mean you're a guy, so all you need is some friction in the right places and you are good to go." She said.

"I'll return the favor don't worry." He said.

"I'm sure you will but for now I'm gonna go I wanna take a nap before work and before that I have to make sure Chase isn't being too mean to Tracey." She said.

"Your brother is mean to his girl?" Ken asked.

"No it's not his girlfriend and he's not mean he just ignores her. I don't think he knows what to do with her to be honest." She said.

"Oh he knows but it's kinda hard for him to do so when his two sisters are in the house." He said.

"So don't want to think about it." She said. He laughed.

"So I'll see you tonight then?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said.

"Alright see you later." She said.

Ken tossed his phone on the nightstand and stared out his window. He could feel the goofy grin on his face and shrugged. No one was there to see it so it wasn't so bad. Besides he probably couldn't have wiped it off if he tried. Austin jumped up next to him and lay down. He absently reached over and scratched the dog's ears.

"What do you think of her, buddy?" He asked.

The dog groaned and stopped twitching his leg and looked up at his master.

"And now I'm talking to my dog… I really gotta get out of the house more." Ken muttered under his breath.

After giving the dog a final scratch he got up.

"Come on lazy ass lets go for a jog." He said.

The dog covered his eyes with his paw and grunted.

"Come on Austin, bye bye." He said.

He rolled over on to his back and looked up at Ken pitifully as if to say, "but I'm recovering from a totally unnecessary and painful surgery."

"That's only going to work for so long and it would have never had to have happened if you wouldn't have claimed my pillow." He muttered and left the room.

He grabbed his iPod and wallet and left.


	12. Chapter 12

Since he was carrying on conversations with his dog he decided to leave his property and jog around the small town. Even though Leah didn't recognize him others did but were usually pretty respectful and left him alone and when he wasn't busy he was happy to take a picture or give an autograph. He reached the street and sped up. A few people lifted a hand in a kind a lazy small town greeting and he returned the favor. Dodging the normal obstacles such as sprinklers, kids, and barking dogs, he realized he had almost reached the other end of town so he turned around and headed back.

Looking up from messing with his iPod he smirked. A dog was barreling down the sidewalk at him. It was Murphy. He sped up so he could catch him. Since he came to a dead stop at a block later he didn't have to go far. Grabbing him by his collar he looked to see what was so interesting and saw a poodle with a pink bow in its hair lying on the front steps on the other side of the fence. He chuckled and crouched down to read his tag. _'Bingo' _he thought to himself as he read the address on the tag. Murphy, being the good natured and slightly infatuated dog he was sat with his tail wagging. Since he had nothing to hold the dog he picked him up carefully. He didn't want to tear open his stitches and wanted to keep his skin intact.

"Come on Murph. Time to go home." He said as he walked down the street.

When he turned the corner a young kid was standing with his arm in a sling and a pair of basketball shorts looking around and whistling while a young girl stared at him in adoration. "Looking for something?" Ken asked.

"Huh oh yeah my dog… Murphy! You little shit." He said.

"He just wanted to visit his girl around the block apparently she isn't too taken with him." He said. "Chase Tucker Ashmore, if you wake Leah up cuz your dumbass forgot to shut the gate when you were showing off for your girlfriend she's gonna be pissed." Jonnie said from the front porch.

Chase winced at his full name and turned to glare at his sister.

"She won't know he got loose if you keep your big mouth shut, and if you do tell her I'll tell her you and Mitch disappeared for over an hour last night." He countered.

"You and Tracey were MIA for awhile too." Jonnie hissed.

The younger girl blushed and Chase rolled his eyes.

"Truce?" He asked wearily.

Jonnie seemed to consider it for a moment and nodded.

"Whatever Jerk. Where's the mutt?" She asked.

"This guy has him." He said.

She turned to look at him and smiled.

"Hey Ken." She said coming down the steps.

"You can dump him in the yard if you want. That is if my slow younger brother has all the gates shut now." She said.

"Ken?" Chase asked turning to once again look at the guy holding his dog.

"Yeah, that's me and you must be Chase." He said pleasantly as he walked by him to put the dog down. "Want something to drink?" Jonnie asked.

"Sure, I was just out for a jog when I came across Romeo over there." Ken said.

"Come on inside." She offered.

He followed her into the house and glanced around while she led him back to the kitchen.

The house was comfortably lived in with pictures crowding the walls and shelves.

"Regrettably all we have is water, milk, and juice." She said.

"Waters fine. So your sister is sleeping huh?" he asked as she handed him a bottle of water.

"Yeah, she's probably still up if you want to run up and say hi." Jonnie said innocently.

"No she's probably not and besides she has to close tonight." Chase said walking in the kitchen.

"Ignore him; her bedroom is upstairs last door on the left." Jonnie said.

Ken looked back and forth between the two siblings.

"Come on Chase, it's rude to leave your girlfriend outside." Jonnie said pulling her younger brother's good arm.

He flushed and glared at her.

"Shut up! Why couldn't I have had brothers?" He mumbled as he followed her reluctantly.

Ken shrugged and walked out into the living room and up the stairs. Once he got up to her bedroom he quietly opened the door. If she really was sleeping he didn't want to wake her up. They had stayed up pretty late the night before. She was sprawled on her stomach with her face turned the other way. He started to back out slowly then noticed her reach out and grab her cell phone.

She sighed as she messed around with her phone. He closed the door quietly behind him and leaned against it. He sat and watched her with a smirk on his face. His phone started going off and she jerked and looked at him.

"How did you get in here?" she asked.

"Well Chase didn't meet me at the front door with a loaded shotgun but he wasn't exactly neighborly." He said.

"Huh?" she asked clearly confused.

"I was out for a jog and happened across Murphy and brought him back." He said and then winced. "Wait Murphy got loose again? I'm going to kill that kid." She said.

"I don't think me ratting the kid out is going to make him like me anymore so can we just forget I said that?" he asked as he crossed the room to sit on her bed.

She scrambled to sit up. "What are you doing?" She asked wearily.

He raised a brow at her and smirked. "Do I make you nervous?" He asked.

"When a guy randomly appears in my room I tend to get nervous." She said defensively.

"Like I said before I won't bite unless you want me to." He said.

"Ken…"she said staring at him.

He looked around her room.

"Nice set up you have going here." He commented.

"Yeah well it was a present from my parents when I was on the honor roll my first semester in college." She muttered glancing at her TV.

"Wanna pretend to watch a movie and make out?" He asked.

"I don't believe anyone has asked me that since my sophomore year in high school." She said.

"Yeah well I suppose that seems like a lifetime ago." He said.

"A little bit." She said biting her bottom lip.

"Do you do that purposely?" he asked studying her.

"What?" she asked.

"Yeah that makes it even more effective." He muttered and leaned towards her.

"Ken my brother and sister are downstairs." She said.

He sighed. "So just the movie then?" He asked hopefully.

She eyed him wearily. "Fine." She said at length.

He kicked off his shoes and situated himself so he was leaning against the headboard. She got up. "What do you want to watch?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I don't care." He said.

"Sisterhood of the traveling pants it is." She said.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on I think my balls just shriveled up and died a little at that." He said.

She laughed. "You just said you didn't care." She said.

"I guess I can suffer through it if I must but you'll owe me." He said.

"I guess I can give you a backrub. That or the next movie is of your choosing right?" She asked.

"Smart ass." He muttered.

She popped in the movie and sat next to him. "So are you really going to make me watch this?" He asked.

She smirked and nodded. He sighed and pulled her closer to him.

"This never leaves this room." He muttered.

"Seriously this movie is stupid." Ken groaned twenty minutes after the movie started.

"The jeans can't fit them all. The one is like half a foot taller than the rest and that one girl is fat." He said.

"She's not fat." She said.

Ken looked at her skeptically. "Okay fine she's what do you guys call it um curvy." He said.

"You are such a jerk." She said.

"I'm honest, brutally so at times. I thought we already went over this." He said.

"I guess I should probably start listening to you huh?" she asked.

"Yeah you should." He said.

"Are you actually really watching this?" He asked.

"You are the one who wanted to watch a movie." She said.

"I wanted to pretend to watch a movie and make out." He said.

"Consider yourself lucky, you show up at my house, sneak up to my room…" she said.

"Actually your sister sent me up against your brother's wishes." He said.

"Whatever your still here aren't you?" She asked.

"Yup I am meaning you want to do it too." He said smugly.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Shut up Ken." She said.

"Okay." He said and leaned forward and kissed her.

He moved so he was lying on his side and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Ken." She said pulling away.

"You wanted me to shut up, what better way to keep me quiet than this?" He asked nuzzling her neck. "Just shut up and kiss me." She said.

He captured her lips again. When his hand began to slip under her shirt she pulled back. "Hey, now, where pretending to watch a movie and make out like a couple of teenagers that means those same rules apply. No touching under clothing." She said.

Ken pouted. "Seriously?" He asked.

She nodded at him trying not to laugh. He pulled his hand from under her shirt and rested his hand on her hip.

"Better?" He asked.

She laughed at him and leaned forward to tug playfully on his lower lip. He growled and kissed her. He followed her rules and kept his hands above her clothes.

"Hey Lee, where's my … ah fuck." Chase said walking in the room.

Leah jumped back and immediately felt her face turn red. Ken groaned and buried his head in her pillow.

"What's up?" She asked her younger brother.

"Never mind." He mumbled shutting the door.

Leah sighed and dropped her head against Ken's chest. He wrapped an arm around her and absently rubbed her back.

"This keeps happening." He said.

"My little brother walking in on us?" She asked.

"No getting interrupted." He said.

"I better go see what he wanted." She said.

"I'll take that as my cue to go." He said.

"Yeah, we still on for tonight?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yeah." He said as they got up.

She walked him out and gave him a quick kiss. "Bye babe." He said as he started jogging down the street.

She sighed and closed the door. She wasn't looking forward to talking to Chase.

"Chase?" She called and heard mumbling from kitchen.

She walked in and saw her two siblings arguing.

"So what did you need?" She asked.

He shrugged and wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Nothing I found it." He said.

"If you would have listened to me you would have found it much sooner." Jonnie said.

"Jonnie…" Leah said.

"He was just being nosey." She said.

"Go I want to talk to Chase." She said.

The younger girl rolled her eyes but walked away.

"So it's called knocking Chasers." She said.

"Sorry I didn't think you'd be making out with some random guy." He said defensively.

"He's not a random guy." She said.

"You just met him." He said.

"You know what I'm going to bed. If you need anything knock." She said getting up.

"I will that way I won't see some guy grabbing your shit or worse." He said walking out the back.

Leah sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'm 21 god damn it. I'm not a parent I'm a sibling. If I want to make out with a random guy it's quite socially acceptable for me to do so." She muttered on her way up the stairs.

"Actually it's kinda expected to happen once a semester. But it's okay if you only sleep with a random guy once a school year." Jonnie said.

"I'm not in the mood right now, Jonnie." She said.

She shrugged. "Chase is just freaked out. You haven't been with anyone in awhile and he's actually starting to notice that kind of stuff and he feels like he's the man of the house and responsible for us." She said.

"Man of the house by default maybe but so not responsible for us, that's my job. He may have facial hair but he still has a lot of growing up to do." She said, sighing as she remembered his recent accident. "The boy can't even remember to take his meds." She said.

"Again I know all this, why don't you go crash for a few hours? I'll finish cleaning up and remind him to take his meds and I'll even make dinner." She said.

"Thanks brat." She said.


	13. Chapter 13

After what seemed like minutes after falling asleep, she was woken up by the sound of Jonnie knocking. "Time to get up." She said.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled.

"You barely have that to eat before you have to leave come on Lee, get up." She said.

"I can eat dinner on the way to work." She said burying her face into the pillow.

"Leah come on, get up." Jonnie said.

"Um hmm." She mumbled.

"I'm not going to try and wake you up again." She said and left.

Leah growled and eventually rolled out of bed. She sleepily went to the bathroom to get ready. After throwing quickly doing her hair and makeup she got dressed and went downstairs. Jonnie and Chase were sitting at the island eating.

"I made you a plate, it's in the microwave." Jonnie said.

She grabbed it and sat down next to Chase.

"Chasers." She said gently bumping into him.

He grunted and continued to eat. "You still mad at me?" she asked playing with her food.

He stared straight ahead. "I'm not leaving until you talk to me." She said.

He looked at her. "I'm talking to you." He said.

"I love you Chasers." She said. He grunted.

"Yeah." He muttered.

"I say I love you and you say yeah?" she asked.

"So I pissed him off good huh?" She asked her younger sister.

"Yeah I guess brothers don't like walking in on their sisters getting felt up." She said grinning. Chase growled and threw a balled up napkin at his sister.

"Well yeah, sorry about that. Next time I'll hang a sock on the door." She said.

"So if I have a sock on my door you won't barge in?" Jonnie asked.

"Seriously, I don't want to know about this shit." Chase mumbled.

The two girls laughed. "Come on kid, lighten up. She's a big girl she can date if she wants to." Jonnie said.

Chase jerked his good shoulder. "There's just something about this guy, I know it's weird but I swear I know him from somewhere and he's an ass." He said.

"How would you know Ken?" Leah asked.

"I don't know, I can't remember." He said.

"Look I'm going to work; we'll talk about this tomorrow." She said getting up.

"Sorry about freaking out earlier… it's just weird walking in on your sister." Chase mumbled.

"It's okay Chasers, I still love ya." She said ruffling his hair.

Saturday nights were the worst, it seemed like everyone in town was determined to be at Tippy's tonight. And if one more of her drunken high school classmates slapped her ass she was going to kick their balls up their throat. She hefted her tray and weaved through the maze of people and tables and made her way up to the bar.

"Want to trade?" Andy asked.

She smiled at him. "You'll go out there and get your ass groped by them for little ole me?" she asked sweetly.

He shrugged. "I'll have you know that I have an amazing ass, but I'd rather not have to break up a fight tonight which you are going to cause if you keep running around out there." He said.

"Go get your ass grabbed by all the horny women then, I'll just sit here and lean on the bar and show off my cleavage." She said.

"Showing off your assets is why we are trading positions." He said laughing.

She rolled her eyes at him. "So why are you so prettied up today?" He asked grabbing a few bottles. "Laundry day." She mumbled.

"Jonnie trying to get you laid again?" He asked.

"Forever and always. Remember when she tried to fix us up?" He asked.

She groaned. "Let's not go there." She mumbled.

"Just because she didn't realize I was gay at the time doesn't make it any less flattering." He said. "Nope I just gained a gay husband out of it. Speaking of which you've been slacking in that area. We haven't had a cuddle and movie marathon for weeks." She said.

He shrugged. "As much as I love cuddling with you and using your boobs as my own personal pillow, I like cuddling with Josh more." He said apologetically.

"Oh fine the prospect of regular sex gets me kicked to the curb, just like a man." She said.

He hefted the tray. "Gay, or straight we still like sex." He said smirking.

She rolled her eyes at him and flipped him off. She glanced at the clock and sighed. It was going to be a long night.

"Hey." Ken said squeezing up besides her.

She threw him a quick look over her shoulder and smiled.

"Hey, yourself." She said. He leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"Seem a little busy." He said.

"Yeah more so than usual." She said and sighed.

"Just chill here." She said and motioned to Andy.

"Andy this is Ken, Ken this is Andy." She said.

Andy nodded to him and Leah disappeared. "So how do you know Leah?" Andy asked.

"Um we met at the vet and we're kind of …" Ken trailed off shrugging.

Andy nodded knowingly. Ken turned and scanned the crowd for her. She was at a table crowded with a bunch of over grown jocks. She turned and glared at one over her shoulder. Ken narrowed his eyes as he saw her brush a meaty hand off her ass. Another reached over and gave her a friendly pat and she rolled her eyes at him. She walked away and finished taking orders.

"Hey you need some help?" Ken asked.

"You think you can handle it?" She asked.

"Yeah I think so." He said grinning.

"Alright you can try it out, and if you're any good I might just let you keep your tips." She said.

"Sweet I'll make a nice little profit off this date then." He said grinning.

"Well you have a cute enough butt but you don't have the right parts for this crowd." She said flirtatiously.

"Trust me sweetheart, I have some moves that would surprise you." He said and winked.

"How about a friendly bet? If I have more tips you have to watch three movies of my choice without complaining." She said.

"And what do I get if I win?" He asked leaning against the bar.

She thought for a moment and grinned. "I'll spend the night at your house tonight." She said.

"But what if I want to spend the night at your place?" he asked.

"And get interrupted by Chase again?" she said raising a brow.

"You say that as if I actually have a chance at getting laid tonight." He said.

"Well we will definitely have more fun at your place then mine." She said.

"You're on." He said holding out a hand. She took it and he pulled her into him and kissed her.

"I only seal a deal by shaking hands with guys, not you." He said pulling away.

He grabbed the tray from her and walked into the crowd. Andy waved hand in front of his face and let out a big breath.

"Who is he and where do I find one? He asked grinning.

"Just for that I'm telling Jeff." She said.

"I think he'd be okay with it if he could watch." He said.

"You want to take your break or drool over Ken all night?" She asked.

He held his hands up. "I know when I'm not wanted." He said.

She laughed as he slipped out the back.

Ken worked his way through the tables gathering up empties and getting orders. So far no one had recognized him and if they did they hadn't said anything yet. As he made his way to the corner he noticed a table of girls and smirked.

"Hey ladies can I get you anything?" he asked tipping his head to indicate their almost empty drinks. They looked at each other and giggled. "Are you on the menu?" A blonde asked.

He smiled and shook his head.

She sighed. "Well I guess we'll just take another round of rum and cokes then." She said.

He laughed when he brushed past her and felt her pinch his butt. The girls started laughing and catcalling. He made his way back up to the bar and threw his empties away and started filling his orders.

"Got any tips yet, sexy?" She asked.

He pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket.

"Of course I'm me." He said.

She rolled her eyes. "Here put it in this glass and I'll put mine in here. Andy can count it out later." She said.

He handed it to her and she put it away. "So whatcha got on under there?" he asked.

"Maybe you'll see later." She said.

"Keep teasing me and we won't even make it back to my place." Ken growled.

"Promises, promises." She said.

"Just wait." He said and left again.

Andy came back in. "Some one's getting laid tonight!" He said in a sing song voice.

"Only if he earns it." She said.

"Honey look at him, he's already earned it." He said.

"I don't sleep with guys because I find them physically attractive." She said.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Well he is that but he came in here tonight because he wanted to see you and then he helps you without any ulterior motive. How many dates have you been on?" He demanded.

"Um one." She said. "You've seen him once since you met him?" he asked.

"Well no the night Chase got in an accident I went out with him to Ringo's and we ended up back at his place but before anything could happen I had to go to the hospital and he drove me. Then I had to go pick up my truck from his house the next morning and he said he wanted to get to know me better and that the ball was in my court. Then Jonnie talked me into calling him yesterday and I went to his place and we watched movies and had a couple of drinks and I slept over…in his bed. And today he brought Murphy back after he got loose and we watched Traveling Pants and basically said he didn't hang out with one nighters and didn't sleep with friends so yeah and then we were making out then Chase walked in and now he's here." She said knowing if she left anything out that Andy would eventually ferret it out anyways.

"Honey you're together, this is your third date, you've spent the night at his house and he's told you he wants to be with you in a non sexual sense." He said.

Leah sighed. "Close up for me tonight?" She asked.

"Of course, I just want one thing in return." He said.

"What?" she asked.

"Details tomorrow." He said.

"Pervert." She mumbled moving to the other end of the bar.

Before Ken knew it they were closing up. "So my jar looks a lot fuller than yours." He said cockily.

"I have a few twenties in mine." She said.

"Honey if you were my server I'd give you outrageous tips too." He said.

She rolled her eyes and made her way through the crowd to start easing people out.

"Come on guys, time to go." She told her drunken classmates.

"Why don't I stick around and bring you home?" Troy asked.

"I'm a big girl; I can find my own way there." She said clearing off their table.

"I don't live with my parents anymore." He slurred.

"I meant my own house." She said.

"Well why didn't you say so? I can be quiet if you can." He said.

"Time to go, you guys got a cab or should I call one for you?" she asked ignoring his earlier comment. "It's on its way." Ben said tiredly.

She smiled at him. "How's Cheryl and the baby?" she asked.

He smiled. "Great, she's already sleeping through the night. My parents got her for the night so we could get out, it's gonna be weird without her in the house." He said.

"I'm sure you two will think of something to do." She said. He laughed.

"Yeah sleep in, even though she's an angel we still get up a couple times to check on her." He said. "Well you guys have fun with that." She said.

"How's Chase?" he asked.

"Fine, broken arm and ribs but he'll live." She said.

He nodded. She went to move away but Troy grabbed her arm and pulled her into his lap.

"So my place or yours?" He asked.

"Neither let me up, Troy." She said.

"Here's fine too." He said.

"Cabs here." Andy called making his way from behind the bar.

"Come on, let's go." Ben said standing up, the rest of their group getting up to file out. Andy walked up to them.

"Let's go." He said.

"Stay outta this, faggot." He growled.

Ben sighed. "Let's go Mike said you can bunk at his house tonight to sleep it off." He said.

"There a problem here?" Ken asked.

"Nope, we're just deciding if she wants to come back to my place or go to hers. So what'd ya say?" he asked.

"She's already made her choice and it's coming home with me." Ken said.

Troy scoffed. "We all know you are more interested in fairy boy here, than her. That's why you're a wrestler so you can slip and slid all over the other gays." He snarled.

"Let her up." He said.

He was too old for this shit. He wasn't some hot tempered kid and he was used to guys trying to aggravate him.

"She wants to be with a real man, don't ya honey." He said.

Leah leaned away from him and struggled to get out of his hold.

"Yeah, see the ways she's acting? Rubbing against me, she wants it." He said.

Ken growled. "Let her go, I'm not going to tell you again." He said.

"Come on, Troy." Ben said.

"Stay the fuck out of this Ben, go home to the ball and chain for all I fucking care. And what are you going to do, Kennedy? Pretend to beat me up?" He said tightening his grip on her wrist.

"Troy stop, you're hurting me." She said trying to push him away.

Ken simply grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. He let go of Leah's wrist and she scrambled out of his lap. Before she could say anything Ken had grabbed his shirt and lifted him out of the chair.

"Listen you stupid son of a bitch, when a lady says no you need to be man enough to accept it and move the fuck on. Now it's time for you to get the fuck out of here and go sleep off your liquid courage." He said.

Troy swung at him and Ken dodged it. Andy grabbed Leah and pulled her out of the way.

"Stop it." Ken said.

"Why can't you fight without your little underwear on?" He taunted and landed a blow on his chin.

Ken barely flinched and plowed a fist into his gut then an uppercut to his chin. "I'm not at work now, am I?" he asked and dragged him out the door.

"Shit guys, I'm sorry. I shoulda got him outta here earlier." Ben said.

Leah shrugged. "Not your fault but next time you have a boy's night either he stays home or you guys go somewhere else." She said.

Ben nodded and left.

"What the hell was all that about?" She asked.

"You're dating Mr. Kennedy?" Andy asked.

"Huh?" she said.

"Ken is a wrestler like Hulk Hogan." Andy said.

"What no he isn't Chase and Luke watch it all the time he would have recognized him." Leah said and then remembered her earlier conversation with Chase. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Ken came in a few minutes later and walked up to Leah.

"You okay?" he asked softly running his hands up and down her arms.

"I'm fine…" she mumbled.

He examined her wrist and saw the red marks that were more than likely going to bruise. She pulled away.

"Leah?" he said.

"I gotta finish up here." She said grabbing empties.

"Here I got it, go in back and ice that. It doesn't look like you broke anything but it'll swell and be tender." He said.

"Get enough in ring injuries to assess that or are you a doctor as well as a wrestler?" she asked.

"First hand experience." He said sighing.

"Come on Lee, I'll take care of this go home." Andy said.

She looked over her shoulder at him and nodded. She turned and walked in back.

"Fuck!" Ken growled.

"Lucy, you got some 'splaning to do." Andy said.

Ken followed her. "Leah, can we talk for a minute." She said.

"I'm tired, Ken." She said.

"Yeah so I'm a professional wrestler why does that seem to bother you?" he asked.

"You didn't tell me." She said.

"It's not something I usually have to announce and I liked the fact that you liked me for me not because I'm a wrestler. Besides it never came up." Ken said clearly frustrated.

"But that's kind a big thing and yes it did come up. I asked you what you did and you said an athlete and when I asked what kind you changed the subject!" she said.

"Like I said earlier it was nice having you flirt and pay attention to me thinking I was just some guy off the street. Wrestling is my career and I love it but it doesn't make me and it's not what I am." He said. "You don't seem to have trouble slipping into character when it suits you." She muttered.

"He wouldn't let you up and you said yourself he was hurting you." Ken said.

"Still you shouldn't use your… professional advantage on a drunken guy." She said.

"I tried to make him leave without physical contact and he punched me what am I supposed to do pat him on the back and ask him to leave nicely?" Ken growled.

"I'm going home Ken, I suggest you do the same." She said.

"But Lee." Ken said.

"Home." She said and walked off.

"Fuck!" Ken yelled.

"Don't worry man, she'll come around." Andy said walking up behind him.

"I don't get why she's so pissed." Ken muttered.

"Women are confusing at best and worse than hell on a man when they want to be, young grasshopper." Andy said.

"Come on kid I'll help you finish up." Ken mumbled.

"Thanks." Andy said smiling.

"By the way, is it true that Teddy is gay?" He asked cheekily.

"He's happily married to his high school sweetheart." Ken said rolling his eyes.

"Damn." Andy said laughing.

Leah slipped into her house a little before three and sighed. All she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for the next week but she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Hey." Jonnie said softly.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" she asked.

Jonnie shrugged. "I woke up Chase about an hour ago to give him his pain meds and I haven't been able to fall back asleep." She said.

"How's he doing?" she asked.

"Fine, he literally sat up took the pills and went right back to bed." She said.

Leah nodded. "What's wrong?" Jonnie asked following her sister upstairs.

They walked into Leah's bedroom and Jonnie curled up on the bed while Leah changed. She pulled on her favorite pair of boxers and Ken's shirt.

"Ken's a wrestler." She blurted out.

"What?" Jonnie asked.

"He's one of the guys on the shows Chase and Luke watch." She mumbled.

"Holy shit really?" she asked.

Leah nodded and crawled onto her bed. "So what's wrong? Did you two have a fight? Is he going back on the road soon?" she asked.

"I don't know I didn't ask." The older woman said.

"Then why are you upset?" she asked.

"He's famous, Jonnie! He works with gorgeous women and countless more throw themselves at him every day. He deliberately lied to me and he beat up Troy tonight." She said.

Jonnie put a hand up. "Okay why don't you start from the beginning?" She said.

Leah sighed. "Ken came into work tonight, Troy was being his usually dickheaded self and at the end of the night insisted that I wanted to go home with him and when he wouldn't let me up Ken grabbed his shoulder picked him up by his shirt and yelled at him. Then Troy baited him and punched him and Ken kicked his ass." She said.

"Okay so what about him lying to you?" Jonnie asked.

"I asked him what he did and he said and athlete and deliberately avoided going into further detail." She said.

"So did he try to explain?" Jonnie asked.

"Yeah but I was just so upset about him lying and fighting and was kind of embarrassed about the whole situation I told him to go home." She said.

"He shouldn't have lied to you and although I'm sure Troy deserved it he shouldn't have beaten him up either. Are you scared of him or just pissed off that he lied and embarrassed about the whole thing?" she asked.

"I'm not scared of him, It was kinda upsetting to see he do that but I don't think he'd ever hurt me." She said after thinking for a moment.

"Go to bed Lee, you can calm down and hopefully be thinking clearly so you can at least call him tomorrow, you owe him that much." She said.

Leah nodded.

Jonnie got up and left the room. "Night." She said.

"Night." Leah mumbled.

Ken got home a little bit before 4. He'd helped Andy clean up and they had talked. Mostly Andy asked him if any of his coworkers were gay. But Ken had gotten in a few questions about Leah. He still didn't quite understand why she was so pissed off at him but the day he understood women was the day they'd be having snow cones in hell, it just wasn't going to happen. He walked up to his room and plopped down on his bed. He grabbed his phone and debated calling Leah and demanding just what the hell had happened back at the bar but decided against it. Instead he found himself calling Randy.

"Hello?" Randy mumbled.

"Hey man." Ken said.

"What's up?" Randy asked.

"I don't know, where you sleeping?" He asked.

"Nah man, Cody and Teddy just stumbled in about a half hour ago." He said.

"Did Sam flip when she found out that you were a wrestler?" Ken asked.

"Um no she knew me, remember?" Randy said.

"What about Kristen did she flip when she found out about Ted?" he asked.

"They were high school sweethearts." Randy said dryly.

"Liz and John?" He said desperately.

"Again they knew each other before hand. Dude, are you drunk?" Randy asked.

"No I'm not drunk." Ken sighed.

"What's with wanting to know how the girls reacted to our careers, then? Oh, Leah didn't know did she?" Randy asked.

"No, I guess not. I liked the fact that she didn't; it means she actually liked me not my money or fame, just me." He said.

"So what happened?" Randy asked.

"I don't know she got pissed." Ken said and explained what had happened.

"Hmm, dude it kinda sounds like she's kind of embarrassed that she didn't realize who you were." Randy said.

"What's that have to do with anything? It's not like I expect everyone to recognize me." Ken said.

"Well how the hell should I know? I've barely met the woman and that makes the most sense dude. Just let her cool down and talk to her in the morning." Randy said.

"Dude, it's not like I lied, I am an athlete." Ken muttered.

"Dude, a bit of free advice that I've learned the hard way, omission is lying. Come straight out and tell her everything and all will be good." Randy said.

"Randy, when did you get to be so smart? No offense but you aren't the brightest when it comes to this kind of stuff." Ken said.

"I like sex, Ken. When I don't piss Sam off I get it. So whenever I piss her off I go over everything I did and then if I still can't figure it out I ask and try my damnedest not to do it again. Same goes with when I get it except I keep doing those things." Randy said.

Ken laughed. "I didn't think you had it in you kid." He said.

"Yeah well I catch on fast with the right motivation." He said.

"Alright bro, thanks, I'll call you later." Ken said.

"Yup bye." Randy said.


End file.
